Yankees Sweep Red Sox 9-2 to Book ALDS Clash With Rays

The New York Yankees are heading to the American League Division Series after finishing a two-game sweep of the Boston Red Sox with a 9-2 win in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.

Cody Bellinger was the driving force, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs, according to Reuters. He hit a three-run homer during a six-run sixth inning that broke the game open, and earlier had chopped an RBI single to give New York a 2-0 lead. Luis García Jr. opened the scoring with a solo homer in the fourth inning.

Starter Max Fried allowed just one run on three hits across six innings while striking out six, as the Yankees outscored Boston 18-2 across the two games, per The Associated Press. The defeat ends Boston’s season for the second year in a row at the hands of New York in the wild-card round.

The victory was achieved without superstar Aaron Judge, who missed the series with a strained right calf. Manager Aaron Boone said it was “probably too early to tell” whether the three-time MVP would be available for Game 1 of the next round, according to reports.

New York now travels to face the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays in a best-of-five AL Division Series beginning Saturday in St. Petersburg. The Rays earned a first-round bye and home-field advantage as division winners.

Sources

• Reuters: Cody Bellinger drives in 4 as Yankees cap one-sided sweep of Red Sox
• AP via theScore: Yankees dismantle Red Sox, will face Rays in ALDS
• New York Post: Yankees destroy Red Sox in wild-card series sweep