Boston Red Sox: 3 stars from dominant Wild Card victory over the Yankees

The Boston Red Sox came out on top of their first ever Wild Card game last night, defeating the dreaded New York Yankees by a score of 6-2. Up and down the roster, the Red Sox went out and delivered when called upon against New York, and the result was a relatively suspense free victory for Boston. The Sox are now set for a five game series against the Tampa Bay Rays in the divisional round.

The Red Sox picked up an early lead in the first inning last night and never looked back. The Yankees had a befuddling strategy of being overly-aggressive at the plate against Boston’s pitching, and they struggled to get much of anything going offensively as a result.

When the Sox needed a big moment, they found someone who was able to step up and deliver, and that’s what it takes to win in the playoffs. Where Boston found players that rose to the occasion, the Yankees had players falter. Whether it was their lineup failing to hit, Gerrit Cole lasting only 2+ innings, or the bullpen allowing the Sox to build on their lead late in the game, no one stepped up for New York, and their season is over now because of it.

There were many players that played a part in Boston’s victory, but there were a few that stood out among the rest. Let’s take a look at the three stars from the night, starting with a player whose mistake actually ended up helping the team in a huge way.