1 of 5 | New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler prepares to throw against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning during Game 3 of an American League wild card series Thursday at Yankee Stadium in New York. Photo by Ray Stubblebine/UPI | License Photo
Rookie Cam Schlittler set an MLB record with 12 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings to lead the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox and into the American League Division Series.
“I knew exactly what I needed to do, especially against my hometown team,” Schlittler told reporters after the 4-0 wild card finale victory Thursday in New York.
“I wasn’t going to let them beat me. I was overconfident in that fact.”
Schlittler headlined his masterful performance with a plethora of 100-mph fastballs. With the gem, the 24-year-old became the first pitcher in league history to log at least eight scoreless innings and a dozen strikeouts without allowing a walk.
“Obviously that’s not the goal, getting the most strikeouts, but it’s a good feeling being able to go out there and dominate a lineup,” Schlittler said.
Schlittler’s showing sets up an American League Division Series best-of-five game series with the Toronto Blue Jays, who they battled all season for the American League East division crown.
Schlittler allowed just five hits and threw 75 of his 107 pitches for strikes in his first career postseason start. Third baseman Amed Rosario gave the Yankees a lead they never lost with a fourth-inning RBI single. Shortstop Anthony Volpe and catcher Austin Wells also drove in runs for the Yankees.
The Yankees scored all of their runs in the fourth inning of the Game 3 shutout. Relief pitcher David Bednar did not allow a hit or run in the ninth to preserve the victory. Red Sox starter Connelly Early allowed six hits and four runs, including three earned, over 3 2/3 innings.
Game 1 of the Yankees-Blue Jays series is set for 4:08 p.m. EDT Saturday in Toronto. The game will air on Fox. The winner of the series will meet the No. 2 Seattle Mariners or No. 6 Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship Series.
Earlier Thursday, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch recorded three hits apiece to lead the Chicago Cubs over the San Diego Padres in another wild card finale.
Crow-Armstrong drove in the first run of the night with a second-inning single and the Cubs never trailed in the 3-1 triumph at Wrigley Field. Busch smacked a 400-foot solo homer in the seventh. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon allowed just two hits over four shutout innings. The Cubs bullpen allowed five hits and one run over the final five innings.
Padres starter Yu Darvish allowed four hits and two runs in one inning before leaving the mound. The Padres’ Nos. 1 through 3 hitters — Fernando Tatis Jr., Luis Arraez and Manny Machado — went a combined 0 for 11 with three strikeouts and a walk.
The No. 4 Cubs will meet the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of a National League Division Series at 2:08 p.m. Saturday in Milwaukee. The series opener will air on TBS and HBO Max.
The winner of that series will face the No. 2 Philadelphia Phillies or No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. The Phillies will host the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at 6:38 p.m. in Philadelphia. Coverage will air on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.
Dillon Dingler hit a 401-foot, go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning to help the Tigers eliminate the Cleveland Guardians in the first matchup of Thursday’s wild card slate. The Tigers catcher went 1 for 3 with a walk in the 6-3 victory.
Right fielder Wenceel Perez highlighted a four-run seventh with a two-run single for the Tigers. Starter Jack Flaherty allowed just three hits and one run over 4 2/3 innings to hush the Guardians offense.
Tigers outfielders Parker Meadows and Riley Greene recorded two hits apiece in the victory.
The Tigers will meet the Mariners in Game 1 of the ALDS at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Seattle. That matchup will air on FS1.
