Did Cam Schlittler just haunt the Boston Red Sox all over again? Yankees blanked the Red Sox in the first game of American League Wild Card Series by defeating them by nine runs at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday when Schlitter delivered yet another strong postseason outing against Boston. The Yankees’ right hander pitched six and a third innings without allowing any run. He gave up just two hits and a walk and struck out 10 batters. It was an extension of his impressive postseason track record against Boston when he pitched eight scoreless innings in Game 3 of last year’s Wild Card Series.

Boston's Offense Collapses Against Schlittler Again

The loss was especially painful because Boston's offense had already been struggling before the playoffs started. During 24 regular-season games in September the Red Sox ranked last in the Majors in runs per game with 3.0. They also ranked last in batting average at .219 and had a .651 OPS. Against Schlittler they could not find a breakthrough. Boston managed only two hits before the game turned into a blowout late. The Yankees scored twice in the seventh and then added five runs in the eighth. Ben Rice delivered the biggest blow with a grand slam as New York pulled away from a game that had stayed relatively close for six innings.

Roman Anthony's Injury Adds to Boston's Problems

Boston also suffered a worrying injury scare involving Roman Anthony. The young outfielder left the game after only two at-bats because of soreness in the same right hand and wrist that had kept him out for nearly four months earlier in the season. His condition made his availability for Game 2 uncertain after the loss. That creates another problem for a Red Sox team already searching for offensive rhythm. Manager Chad Tracy had hoped to enter the postseason with a stronger lineup after several key players missed time with injuries, including Ceddanne Rafaela, Willson Contreras and Adley Rutschman. Anthony's latest issue could make an already difficult situation even more complicated.

Ben Rice Powers Yankees' 9-0 Blowout

The Yankees also received a major contribution from Ben Rice, who homered twice and drove in five runs in the 9-0 victory. His first home run came in the fifth inning against lefty Erik Miller after Boston starter Payton Tolle had kept the game within one run. Rice then delivered the grand slam in the eighth. Tolle made his first career postseason start and kept Boston in the game for much of the night, but New York's offense eventually broke through. Boston's pitching was not the main story in Game 1. The bigger issue was the complete lack of offensive response against Schlittler and the Yankees bullpen.

Red Sox Face Elimination in Game 2

The Red Sox now need to react quickly in Game 2 on Wednesday night, otherwise, the series is over. The Red Sox will be throwing right-handed veteran Sonny Gray, who had a 18-5 record and ERA of 2.72. The Yankees will be opposing with left-handed Max Fried, who had an ERA of 2.80. The best-of-three Wild Card Series gives Boston almost no room for another quiet offensive night. The Red Sox have already shown this season that they can recover from difficult stretches, going from a 32-46 start to a 32-5 surge that carried them into the postseason. Now they need that version of the team to appear against the Yankees.