Bogaerts, Verdugo lead Red Sox to victory in AL Wild Card Game, set up date with Rays
ByDavid Souza, Boston 25 News
Wild Card Round - New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 05: Xander Bogaerts #2 celebrates with Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox after a two run home run by Bogaerts against the New York Yankees during the first inning of the American League Wild Card game at Fenway Park on October 05, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
ByDavid Souza, Boston 25 News
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox won the AL Wild Card Game in front of their home fans Tuesday night, eliminating the rival New York Yankees, 6-2, at Fenway Park. Xander Bogaerts and Alex Verdugo led the way on offense for the Sox, with Bogaerts racking up a pair of RBIs and Verdugo knocking in a trio of his own.
On the bump, Boston allowed just six hits with five different pitchers contributing in the win. Nathan Eovaldi earned the win after 5.1 innings of work, while Garrett Whitlock closed the game out for the Sox in the ninth.
The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead thanks to a two-run blast from Bogaerts that was launched to the bleachers in center field. Two innings later, Kyle Schwarber launched a solo homer to deep right field, expanding the Boston lead to 3-0.
New York also got in on the longball in the affair, with 1B Anthony Rizzo wrapping a solo shot around the Pesky Pole in right to get the Yankees on the board in the top of the sixth.
It was a tale of two starters for the AL East rivals, with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole getting the hook after 2+ innings, three earned runs and a pair of walks - both to Rafael Devers. Opposingly, Boston’s Nathan Eovaldi yielded just one earned run on the Rizzo blast, striking out eight in five and a third innings.
SOX WIN!! ⚾⚾⚾ Xander Bogaerts opened the game with a homer, Nathan Eovaldi struck out 8, Alex Verdugo knocked in three runs and the #RedSox beat the #Yankees in the AL #WildCardGame, 6-2! On to the #ALDS! #boston25#mlbplayoffs
In the sixth inning, a pair of plays at the plate both turned in the Red Sox favor, turning a potential one-run lead into a three-run advantage for the hometown club. With one out in the top half of the inning, Giancarlo Stanton roped a single off the Green Monster in center. Aaron Judge attempted to score all the way from first but was cut down at the plate by a great relay throw from Bogaerts.
In a nearly identical situation in the home half of the sixth, Bogaerts himself wheeled around from first on a one-out double from Alex Verdugo. The throw to the plate came just a second too late as the Sox shortstop scored standing up.
In the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs, Verdugo struck again, knocking in two runs on a single to centerfield that plated Schwarber and Kike Hernandez to blow the game open.
Whitlock yielded just a solo homer to Stanton in the bottom of the ninth before closing out the win and sending Fenway Park into a frenzy.
With the victory, the Red Sox advance to the American League Division Series against another AL East opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays captured the division by finishing the season at 100-62.
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Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, right, greets Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora before an American League Wild Card baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Former Boston Red Sox player Jerry Remy throws a ceremonial first pitch to former Red Sox pitcher Dennis Eckersley before an American League Wild Card baseball game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Wild Card Round - New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 05: Xander Bogaerts #2 celebrates with Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox after a two run home run by Bogaerts against the New York Yankees during the first inning of the American League Wild Card game at Fenway Park on October 05, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Xander Bogaerts, middle, celebrates his two-run homer with Rafael Devers, left, and Alex Verdugo (99) in the first inning of the American League Wild Card playoff baseball game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Tuesday Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Kyle Schwarber celebrates his solo homer in the third inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) reacts as Boston Red Sox's Kyle Schwarber rounds third base after hitting a solo homer in the third inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Kyle Schwarber celebrates his solo homer in front of New York Yankees catcher Kyle Higashioka in the third inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
APTOPIX Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees watch from the dugout as Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi delivers in the fifth inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone speaks with infielders during a pitching change in the sixth inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, middle, hands the ball and speaks with New York Yankees relief pitcher Jonathan Loaisiga (43) in the sixth inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
APTOPIX Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees' Aaron Judge (99) is tagged out at the plate by Boston Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki as he tries to score on a single by Giancarlo Stanton in the sixth inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox's Alex Verdugo runs to first after hitting a 2-run single in the seventh inning of an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball New York Yankees assistant hitting coach P.J. Pilittere lingers in the dugout after they were defeated by the Boston Red Sox 6-2 in an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez, left, celebrates with relief pitcher Garrett Whitlock after they defeated the New York Yankees 6-2 in an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball The Boston Red Sox celebrate on the field after they defeated the New York Yankees 6-2 in an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball The Boston Red Sox celebrate after they defeated the New York Yankees 6-2 in an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
Yankees Red Sox Baseball Boston Red Sox outfielders Alex Verdugo, left, and Hunter Renfroe, right, celebrate after they defeated the New York Yankees 6-2 in an American League Wild Card playoff baseball game at Fenway Park, Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa)
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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