Meeting in the playoffs for the first time since 2004, Chris Sale pitched well into the sixth inning Friday night and the Boston Red Sox had a 5-0 lead, before having to hold off the rallying New York Yankees 5-4 at Fenway Park in Boston in game one of the American League Division Series. Boston draws first blood and takes a 1-0 series lead in the best of five.
JD Martinez got the Sox going in the first with a one out, line drive three run homer into the monster seats in left to make it 3-0. In the third inning, Steve Pearce hit an RBI single, and Xander Bogaerts added an RBI sacrifice fly making it 5-0. Sale left after two Yankees had reached with one out in the sixth. Luke Voit hit an RBI single, and Didi Gregorius reached on an RBI fielders choice groundout to cut it to 5-2 off reliever Ryan Brasier with both runs charged to Sale. Brandon Workman struck out Gleybur Torres with the bases loaded to end the New York threat.
New York got within a pair at 5-3 off Matt Barnes in the seventh when Voit hit a fielders choice RBI groundout with the bases loaded. With runners on the corners, Barnes induced Gregorious into a groundout to end another threat. With two out in the eighth, Boston brought in closer Craig Kimbrel to relieve Rick Porcello to try to pick up a four out save. Kimbrel got Andrew McCutcheon to fly out to end the eighth. In the ninth, Aaron Judge led off the inning with an opposite field homer into the Yankees bullpen to pull New York within a run. It was the fifth homer in seven postseason games for Judge. Kimbrel though would strike out Brett Gardner, Giancarlo Stanton, and Voit to end it and earn his first save of the playoffs. It is the first time since 2013 that the Red Sox have opened a playoff series with a win.
Sale (1-0) picked up the win, charged with two runs, five hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings. It was also the longest start by a Red Sox pitcher in a playoff game since 2013. Workman, Barnes, and Porcello all got holds in the win. J.A. Happ (0-1) took the loss for NY, allowing five runs on four hits in 2.0 innings. Chad Green, Lance Lynn, Zach Britton, and David Robertson combined for six solid innings out of the Yankee bullpen allowing no runs on three hits. Andrew Benintendi and Martinez both had two hits for Boston, while Judge had three hits and Voit had two to lead New York.
Game two at Fenway Park will take place Saturday at 8:15 pm. Boston sends lefty David Price to the hill, to be opposed by Masahiro Tanaka for New York.
