Red Sox survive wild 9th inning, eliminate Yankees in the Bronx
NEW YORK >> Craig Kimbrel and the Boston Red Sox held off the Yankees’ ninthinning rally that ended with a video replay, eliminating New York with a 4-3 victory Tuesday night that set up a postseason rematch with the World Series champion Houston Astros.
Trailing in Game 4 of the AL Division Series, the Yankees scored twice in the ninth and had runners at first and second with two outs. Gleyber Torres hit a slow roller that third baseman Eduardo Nunez charged and threw in a hurry.
Boston first baseman Steve Pearce stretched for an outstanding catch that nipped Torres. The Yankees immediately challenged and, with a sellout crowd standing and hoping, the out call was upheld after a 63-second review.
The 108-win Red Sox reached the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2013. A year after losing to Houston in a fourgame ALDS, they will open the best-of-seven matchup against the 103-win Astros on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
“We’re ready for another shot,” Red Sox pitcher Rick Porcello said.
Porcello held the Yankees to one run over five innings for his first postseason win. Matt Barnes and Ryan Brasier followed with a perfect inning each to protect a 4-1 lead, and Red Sox ace Chris Sale followed with a 1-2-3 eighth in a rare relief appearance.
New York had not put a leadoff runner on until Kimbrel, a seven-time All-Star closer, walked Aaron Judge on four pitches leading off the ninth. Didi Gregorius singled and Giancarlo Stanton struck out, dropping to 4 for 18 (.222) with no RBIs in the series. Luke Voit walked on four pitches, and Kimbrel hit Neil Walker on a leg with his next pitch, forcing in a run.
Gary Sanchez fell behind 0-2 in the count, worked it full and sent a drive that had the crowd roaring only for Andrew Benintendi to catch it on the left-field warning track, a few feet short of a game-ending grand slam. Torres followed with the dramatic bouncer that led to one of 21st century baseball’s strangest sights — a team unsure whether to celebrate, its direction depending on a decision from the replay room in downtown Manhattan.
Not even the presence of Bucky Dent for the ceremonial first pitch could inspire the 100-win Yankees, who were outscored 27-14 in the series. New York set a major league record this year for most home runs in a season, but didn’t go deep in the two games at Yankee Stadium.
Dent’s home run over Fenway Park’s Green Monster in the 1978 AL East tiebreaker propelled the Yankees to their second straight World Series title, but Boston eliminated its rival in the Bronx in the teams’ second straight postseason meeting. In the 2004 ALCS, the Red Sox became the first big league team to overcome 3-0 postseason deficit, winning the final two games on the road and going on to sweep the World Series for its first title since 1918.