Yankees Crush Red Sox 9-2, Complete Wild Card Sweep; Advance to Face Tampa Bay After Outscoring Boston 18-2 in Two Games

NEW YORK, NY – The New York Yankees eliminated the Boston Red Sox from the postseason Wednesday night, rolling to a 9-2 victory at Yankee Stadium and completing a two-game sweep of their longtime American League rivals.

The Yankees broke open a close game with a six-run sixth inning, turning a 2-1 lead into an 8-1 advantage and effectively ending Boston’s season. New York had also defeated the Red Sox 9-0 in the opening game of the American League Wild Card Series, giving the Yankees an 18-2 scoring advantage across the two-game matchup.

The victory sends New York into the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, with the series scheduled to begin Saturday in Florida.

Sixth-Inning Rally Breaks Game Open

Boston briefly cut New York’s lead to 2-1 when Willson Contreras homered in the top of the sixth inning, ending a 26-inning postseason scoring drought for the Red Sox.

The momentum did not last long.

In the bottom half of the inning, Spencer Jones reached first after striking out on a wild pitch, with the initial out call overturned following a replay review. Jones then stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error before the Yankees began piling up hits and runs.

George Lombard Jr. delivered an RBI single, Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with another hit and Trent Grisham reached on a bunt single. Austin Wells added a sacrifice fly and Ryan McMahon drove in another run before Boston intentionally walked Ben Rice.

Cody Bellinger then delivered the decisive blow, launching a three-run home run into the right-center-field seats to give New York an 8-1 lead.

Fried Holds Boston in Check

Yankees starter Max Fried allowed just three hits and one run over six innings while striking out six and walking one. The performance continued his recent postseason success against Boston.

Luis García Jr., making his first postseason start after being acquired during the season, homered in the fourth inning and finished with three hits. Bellinger drove in four runs, including the three-run homer that capped New York’s sixth-inning surge.

Every Yankees starter recorded at least one hit as New York finished with 14 hits in the game.

Red Sox Offense Disappears

Boston struggled badly at the plate throughout the series. The Red Sox managed only seven hits in 60 at-bats, a .117 batting average, while striking out 18 times and scoring just twice.

Boston was also without leadoff hitter Roman Anthony in Game 2 because of a hand injury.

The Yankees, meanwhile, hit .382 during the series and went 9-for-20 with runners in scoring position, according to game statistics reported by Major League Baseball and The Associated Press.

Judge Watches From the Sideline

New York completed the sweep without captain Aaron Judge, who was left off the Wild Card Series roster because of a strained right calf.

Judge joined his teammates during the postgame celebration but his availability for the Division Series remains uncertain.

The injury will become one of the Yankees’ biggest storylines heading into Tampa Bay, particularly as New York moves deeper into the postseason.

Another Chapter in the Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry

The result adds another postseason chapter to one of baseball’s longest-running rivalries. Boston and New York also met in the Wild Card round last season, when the Yankees advanced after a three-game series.

For Long Island baseball fans, the postseason run also keeps nearby Yankee Stadium and the Bronx at the center of October baseball. The stadium remains one of the region’s major sports destinations, drawing fans from Nassau and Suffolk counties throughout the season.

What Comes Next

The Yankees will travel to Florida to face the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Division Series. Gerrit Cole is expected to be among New York’s pitching options for the opening game.

Tampa Bay won the regular-season series against New York 7-6, setting up a familiar AL East matchup with a spot in the American League Championship Series at stake.

Key Facts & Details

Major League Baseball’s official game record confirms the 9-2 final score, while The Associated Press reported that New York completed the sweep behind Fried, Bellinger and García and will next face Tampa Bay.