In a night of emotions in the Bronx, young pitcher Cam Schlittler, defying the October cold, shone with a historic performance that sealed the Yankees’ victory over the Red Sox in the decisive third game of the American League Wild Card Series. Schlittler, showing unwavering composure, led his team to victory, eliminating his rival with unprecedented mastery.
Historic Performance at Montículo
Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler dazzled on the mound with a performance that will be etched in the memories of fans. With eight flawless innings, 12 strikeouts, and zero walks, Schlittler demonstrated remarkable maturity and control, setting new records in postseason history. His performance, which included an average fastball velocity of 98.9 mph and peaks of up to 100.8 mph, left the Red Sox hitters with no answers.
The young pitcher, in his 85th day as a Major League player, became the first pitcher in postseason history to pitch at least eight scoreless innings with at least 12 strikeouts and zero walks. His 12 strikeouts were the most in a direct elimination game and the most in a playoff debut in Yankees history. Schlittler, with his impressive repertoire, limited the Red Sox to only five hits, allowing only one runner to reach scoring position. His dominance was such that the Red Sox manager, Alex Cora, acknowledged the perfection of the opposing pitcher.“A star is born tonight. He’s a special kid, he’s not afraid. He’s waiting for this,” declared Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
Aaron Boone
However, the Red Sox defense, which had cost the team dearly in Game 2, faltered in the fourth inning. A fly ball, with a 7% chance of being a hit, from Cody Bellinger’s bat fell between the center fielder and the right fielder, resulting in a double. This was followed by a walk to Giancarlo Stanton. Two batters later, Amed Rosario hit the first of three singles, driving in Bellinger from second base. Anthony Volpe hit a single to right field, before Austin Wells hit a ground ball that bounced off first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s attempt to reverse the play. The error allowed two more runs to score.
Schlittler, unfazed by the four-run attack, remained calm. His 100th pitch, matching his previous personal record, was a 99 mph fastball to strike out Abreu and end the seventh inning. The fans, assuming Schlittler’s night was over, went wild after the 11th strikeout. But manager Aaron Boone felt Schlitter’s pitching was good enough to continue. With that, Schlittler went out for more, igniting the crowd. He responded with a perfect seven-pitch frame that began by striking out Romy Gonzalez with a 97.6 mph fastball. The next batter, Jarren Duran, lofted the first pitch he saw toward the Red Sox dugout. Ryan McMahon, who had entered the game as a defensive replacement two innings earlier, raced over to make the catch, flipping head over heels over the railing and into the Red Sox dugout. One pitch later, Trevor Story grounded out to the shortstop for the third out. Schlittler, author of one of the best pitching performances in postseason history, calmly walked off the mound for the night. “I wasn’t going to let them win,” Schlittler said. “I was too confident in that fact.”
