The Boston Red Sox are through to the American League Championship Series, eliminating the Yankees in Game 4 of the ALDS by stymying a ninth-inning comeback for a 4-3 victory.
Rookie Gleyber Torres, with runners on first and second and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, grounded out to end the Yankees’ 100-win campaign earlier than expected but not without one final fight.
It was a far more nervy finish than expected seeing as the Red Sox were cruising into the ninth inning up 4-1.
Starter Rick Porcello went five strong innings, allowing just one run on four hits before a combined bullpen effort of Matt Barnes, Ryan Brasier and ace Chris Sale set down nine Yankees in a row.
But then closer Craig Kimbrel entered the game and all hell broke loose.
He loaded the bases after walking Aaron Judge, a Didi Gregorius single and walking Luke Voit with one out. The Yankees moved within two when Kimbrel proceeded to hit Neil Walker to make it a 4-2 game.
Gary Sanchez made Boston and New York hearts leap into throats after flying out to the warning track to move the Yankees to within a run with two outs to set things up for Torres groundout, Eduardo Nunez’s throw narrowly beating the speedy second baseman.
The Red Sox used a three-run third inning to build an early lead off veteran southpaw CC Sabathia, who had built a reputation as being a stopper for New York after losses.
However, manager Aaron Boone is likely to face criticism once again for the handling of his pitching staff, especially after the Game 3 debacle that saw the Yankees pummeled 16-1.
While Sabathia didn’t have his plus stuff from the start, he was able to battle through the first two innings unscathed before the dooming third. Though there were some nervy moments when Ian Kinsler flew out to the warning track with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning.
Sabathia led off the third by hitting Andrew Benintendi before surrendering a single to Steve Pearce. With runners at the corner, J.D. Martinez drove in the game’s first run with a sacrifice fly.
Following a Xander Boegarts groundout and a Sabathia wild pitch, Kinsler doubled to score Pearce before scoring on an Eduardo Nunez single all with two outs.
That was all for Sabathia, who had a long leash despite getting into trouble on multiple occasions in his short start. It was expected to be his final outing as a Yankee.
Christian Vazquez added more question marks to Boone’s decision-making with a Yankee Stadium special of a home run off reliever Zach Britton in the fourth, lofting an opposite-field 338-foot home run that nestled into the first row of the right-field stands.
It was more than enough support for Porcello, who had a lot to prove in his Game 4 start.
Over his first two postseasons with the Red Sox, the New Jersey native had an ERA of over 7.50. In his backyard, Porcello’s lone blemish of the night came in the fifth when Brett Gardner’s sacrifice fly scored Sanchez.
The Red Sox will face the defending World Series champion Houston Astros in the ALCS beginning Saturday. One year ago, the Astros knocked the Yankees out in seven games to capture the American League pennant.
