NEW YORK — Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way home from first base on Austin Wells’ tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and the New York Yankees extended their season Wednesday night with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series.
Unhappy he was left out of the starting lineup in the opener, Chisholm also made a critical defensive play at second base that helped the Yankees send the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.
In the latest chapter of baseball’s most storied rivalry, the winner advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five Division Series beginning Saturday.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer and Aaron Judge had an RBI single for the Yankees, who got three innings of scoreless relief from their shaky bullpen after starter Carlos Rodón put the first two batters on in the seventh.
Devin Williams worked a one-hit eighth for the win, and David Bednar got three outs for his first postseason save.
Trevor Story homered and drove in all three runs for the Red Sox, who won the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday night behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.
Meanwhile, Red Sox manager Alex Cora had such a short leash on Brayan Bello that the Red Sox starter lasted just 2 1/3 innings before giving way to a left-handed reliever.
Playing that matchup game worked initially, and Cora kept calling on a rotating cast of characters from the bullpen from that point forward. The Red Sox used seven pitchers and, after Wednesday’s loss, they may need to do more of the same on Thursday night with no starter announced in advance, though all indications are that it will be rookie lefthander Connelly Early.
In a stark contrast to the opener, when Boston only needed Crochet, who threw 7 2/3 innings of one-run baseball, and closer Aroldis Chapman, who got the final four outs — including escaping a bases-loaded no-outs jam in the ninth.
That luxury allowed Cora to dig deep into his pen Wednesday night. Bello threw only 28 pitches before he was replaced by Justin Wilson, who needed 23 to record five outs. Justin Slaten and Steven Matz and Zack Kelly and Garrett Whitlock followed.
It got away from Whitlock in the eight, when he walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. and allowed a go-ahead RBI single to Austin Wells. Cora made one more call to bring in Payton Tolle, who ended that threat, but the Red Sox went down in order in the ninth against Bednar.
Originally Published: October 1, 2025 at 9:17 PM EDT
