9-0: Schlittler, Rice Rout Red Sox in Wild Card Game 1

Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice combined to power the Yankees to a 9-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of their American League Wild Card Series rematch, played Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, according to ESPN. Schlittler threw 6⅓ scoreless innings before manager Aaron Boone pulled him with one out in the seventh, and the crowd answered with a standing ovation and chants of "MVP," ESPN reported.

How Did Cam Schlittler Silence Boston's Lineup Again?

Schlittler, a Massachusetts native, shut down his hometown team for 6⅓ scoreless innings, per ESPN. It was the latest chapter in a pattern: a year earlier, he tossed eight scoreless innings in a win-or-go-home Game 3 against the Red Sox in the same Wild Card Series matchup, ESPN noted. Tuesday's start extended that run of dominance against Boston in high-stakes October settings.

What Numbers Define Ben Rice's Night at the Plate?

Rice, who grew up about a 45-minute drive from Fenway Park as a self-described Yankees fan, went 4-for-5 with two home runs — including a grand slam — and six RBIs, according to ESPN. The outburst came with New York's lineup still missing Aaron Judge, ESPN reported, making Rice's production the offensive engine of the rout.

What Did Aaron Boone Say About the Pair?

Boone called the tandem performance "pretty remarkable" in his postgame comments, per ESPN.

"For them to go out and have that kind of night together to start this postseason, it's pretty amazing and kind of hard to grasp a little bit, frankly. But I'm certainly glad we have those two." — Aaron Boone, via ESPN

How Does This Affect the Red Sox Heading Into Game 2?

Boston's series outlook grew murkier with news that outfielder Anthony suffered a hand injury, leaving his status for Game 2 unclear, according to ESPN's coverage alongside the Game 1 recap. The Red Sox now head into the next game trailing 0-1 in the series and facing a possible lineup change on top of the shutout loss.

What to Watch in Game 2

• Whether Red Sox outfielder Anthony's hand injury keeps him out of the lineup, per ESPN.
• Whether Aaron Judge returns to the Yankees' lineup after missing Game 1.
• Whether Schlittler's scoreless streak against Boston continues if he takes the mound again this series.
• Fans following the postseason box scores can test their own recall with the Smorgi Challenge trivia game.

The Yankees' 9-0 win puts them up 1-0 in the Wild Card Series, with Boston needing a response in Game 2 to avoid an early exit, per ESPN's reporting.