Boston Red Sox: Kutter Crawford, bullpen shine in series finale vs Yankees

The first major league win for Boston Red Sox rookie pitcher Kutter Crawford was the team’s first victory of the season.

In the Red Sox 4-3 win over the New York Yankees Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, the team depended on Tanner Houck to help the team avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of their American League East rivals, but instead found 26-year-old rookie Crawford to be the savior.

After utilizing the bullpen in the first two games, Red Sox manager Alex Cora desperately needed Houck to produce some innings.  Unfortunately, he lasted just 3 1/3 innings and the team had to turn to Crawford to spin some innings and that he certainly did.

Boston Red Sox turn to Kutter Crawford to carve up some innings

Coming into a 3-3 game in the bottom of the fifth, Crawford not only got out of a jam in that inning, but ironically struck out both Anthony Rizzo and Aaron Judge in the sixth inning on, you guessed it…cutters.

The Boston Red Sox offense was able to give the team the lead to set up a memorable first victory for the organization’s No. 25 ranked prospect.  To shine in a moment like that on a stage as grand as Yankee Stadium was special for Crawford and came at the right time for the club.

"“It was a pretty awesome moment,” Crawford said following the game, via MLB.com.  “You know, to do it in Yankee Stadium, Red Sox-Yankees rivalry and Sunday Night Baseball is really special.”"

While Crawford’s debut on Opening Day was something he’d rather forget, he did get some redemption in the weekend series and may have earned himself more confidence from Cora who is looking for arms other than Garrett Whitlock that he can rely on in those middle innings.

"“Kutter, we like him,” Cora said. “He has good stuff.  He commands the strike zone, he’s really good at it, and he did an amazing job for us tonight.”"

With the Red Sox bats quiet to start the season, the Red Sox need these kinds of moments from pitchers like Crawford.  Not only does it pick the team up, but also creates more experience and confidence in that bullpen, a bullpen that put it together in the final game of the series to record the final 17 outs.

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While Crawford earned the win, Jake Diekman did his thing on the mound to earn a save by striking out Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Gallo.  While the Red Sox don’t have a set closer, Diekman made his case by mowing them down in the ninth.

Again, when Cora’s club desperately needed it, they got players to step up.

"“He was the closer today,” Cora said of Diekman.  “He’s done it before.  I remember in 2019 he pitched against us at home and J.D. [Martinez], it was July or around that time, and he was like, ‘We need to get this guy.’  The angle on the fastball and the slider [is tough].”"

Well, thank you Martinez for the referral.  As far as the rest of the season goes, if the Boston Red Sox can get more of those relief performances out of Crawford and Diekman, the team will be in prime position, especially when the offense heats up like we know they will.