5 years before beating Sox in Wild Card, Schlittler faced hometown club as college pitcher

Cam Schlittler was brilliant for the Yankees in his postseason debut on Thursday night against the Red Sox, striking out 12 and walking none over eight scoreless innings to help New York advance to the American League Division Series.

It was a historic performance -- Schlittler became the first pitcher in postseason history to throw at least eight scoreless innings with at least 12 strikeouts and no walks. The dozen strikeouts were also a Yankees record for a rookie making his playoff debut.

Not only was it a clutch performance in a winner-take-all Wild Card Series game, it came against the Yankees’ archrivals. Not bad for Schlittler -- who is a Boston-area native -- especially in his first start against the Red Sox.

But wait ... was it his first start against Boston? As it turns out, the answer is no.

And we’re not talking about one of his 14 regular-season starts this year after he made his big-league debut on July 9.

Incredibly, Schlittler appeared on the mound for Northeastern University against the Red Sox as a college freshman during Boston’s 2020 Spring Training opener at JetBlue Park.

And wouldn’t you know it? He tossed a scoreless first inning.

Ownage is ownage, as they say. Schlittler, then, has actually thrown nine scoreless innings against Boston in his life.

Entering Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series on Thursday, any nerves Schlittler had were channeled into extra motivation after Red Sox fans made some ugly online comments directed toward him prior to the contest.

“There’s a line I think they crossed a little bit,” Schlittler said after the Yankees' 4-0 victory. “I’m a competitor. I’m going to go out there and make sure I shut them down. You know Boston fans. It’s just how it is.”

The Walpole, Mass., native is off to a fantastic start against his hometown team. And not only did Schlittler handle the pressure -- and social media posts -- with aplomb, that’s exactly what his manager expected would happen.

“Cam's a tough kid, and I know he’s going to handle any slings and arrows,” Aaron Boone said on Friday. “Social media can be an ugly place sometimes, unfortunately. We try to prepare our guys and obviously support our guys in so many different ways.

“But Cam is broad-shouldered, confident, clear-eyed, and I don't think [he’s] going to be affected by much.”

Whether that be as a college freshman facing a Major League lineup or a rookie making his playoff debut in an elimination game five years later.