NEW YORK – Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice spent their early years surrounded by everything Red Sox, only to land on the other side of baseball’s most storied rivalry. Back under the postseason spotlight, the Massachusetts duo delivered, fracturing a few more New England hearts in the process.
Schlittler struck out 10 over 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Rice launched two homers, including a grand slam, as part of a six-RBI performance. The Yankees rolled to a 9-0 victory over Boston in Tuesday’s Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
“The job’s not done; we’ve got to get another win tomorrow,” Schlittler said. “But it’s very well-known that if you want to be a legend, which is obviously the goal, you’ve got to do it in the postseason.”
In the history of the best-of-three Wild Card Series, teams taking a 1-0 lead have gone on to win the series 21 of 24 times (88%), including 17 two-game sweeps. Home teams have won all nine series in which they have gone ahead 1-0, including eight sweeps.
“It’s one win, so we’ve got the blinders on,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But it’s a confident group, knowing that if we play our game, we can beat anyone.”
A Walpole, Mass., native who grew up rooting for Boston –- only to become one of Red Sox Nation’s most popular targets on social media – Schlittler boasted coming into the start that he has become “good at keeping receipts.”
The rage bait wasn’t as intense this time around, with Schlittler saying, “I think they learned their lesson last year,” but he still used what he could find.
Saying that the environment provided whatever natural adrenaline couldn’t be found online, the 25-year-old delivered a strong sequel to the magnificent outing that sent Boston home from last year’s AL Wild Card Series.
The likely AL Cy Young Award winner, Schlittler set the tone by pumping his first pitch at 100.6 mph, then refused to ease up on the gas.
“He was nasty,” said outfielder Spencer Jones. “I could tell after those first couple of pitches that he was ready for the moment.”
Throwing a career-high 117 pitches (77 strikes), Schlittler leaned heavily on his four-seamer and his curveball, permitting two singles and one walk. Yankees catcher Austin Wells said the curve looked good in the bullpen, prompting them to lean on it.
“He’s incredible,” Wells said. “He went after them, got ahead. That’s a big deal for him and a big deal for us. Any time he’s going out there, he’s got the most confidence. Now back-to-back years, great outings against them in the playoffs – that’s what he’s going to do.”
When Boone came to claim the ball, Schlittler exited to chants of “M-V-P!” from the crowd of 48,437.
“We’ve already got an MVP in this locker room; he’s won three of them,” Schlittler said, referring to Aaron Judge. “I wouldn’t say I’m an MVP, but it’s good to kind of embrace that from the fans, knowing they trust me.”
Plucked from Boston’s backyard by the same Yankees scout, Matt Hyde, Rice and Schlittler relish their hometown connection – which makes nights like this even sweeter.
“We love it,” Schlittler said. “We wouldn’t be here without [Hyde]. Just to have the confidence of being mid-round guys, having to work a little bit harder to get up here and embrace that together – it’s special.”
Said Rice: “It definitely adds a cool little layer to it, and for Cam, too. It’s always fun playing against them.”
Austin Wells’ second-inning RBI single produced the Yankees’ only run off Payton Tolle, who scattered five hits over 4 2/3 innings.
With Rice looming on deck, Boston manager Chad Tracy raised his left arm to summon Erik Miller in the fifth. Rice greeted the southpaw by launching a 96.8 mph sinker for his second career postseason homer.
Rice added a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, then sent his grand slam into the center-field bullpen in the eighth.
“That’s pretty tough to beat,” Rice said. “Any time you can come through for the team in a playoff game, it feels pretty awesome.”
Growing up in Cohasset, Mass., Rice chose his pinstripes early in life, somehow returning from a game at Fenway with a Yankees cap as a souvenir. That was all it took: During one subsequent childhood visit, Rice memorably scrawled "Yankees Rule!" on Pesky’s Pole.
No pens are necessary now. Once again, Schlittler and Rice are leaving their mark – and their performance has put their club in position to create more October memories.
“I’ll remember getting a ‘W’ versus the Red Sox – there’s nothing better than that,” Rice said. “I’ll remember Cam going out there and just being lights-out, like he always is. It was an awesome night.”