Bronx, NY— With their roster thinned by injuries and absences, the Boston Red Sox turned to an inexperienced rookie in a do-or-die playoff scenario. Connelly Early, making just his fifth major league appearance, showed poise in a hostile Yankee Stadium. But defensive lapses and timely New York hitting ultimately sent Boston packing in a 4-0 loss in Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series on Thursday night.
The defeat ended a roller-coaster season for Boston, which returned to the postseason for the first time in four years but became the first team eliminated in the best-of-three format after winning Game 1.
“This is brutal,” said third baseman and veteran leader Alex Bregman. “We just didn’t get the job done.”
Missed Chances and Costly Mistakes
The Red Sox entered the night already shorthanded, missing starters Lucas Giolito and Tanner Houck, along with young stars Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, both sidelined by season-ending injuries. Despite those setbacks, they had taken Game 1 behind Garrett Crochet’s gem and Masataka Yoshida’s clutch hit. Game 2 slipped away when manager Alex Cora leaned heavily on his bullpen after a quick hook for Brayan Bello.
On Thursday, Early delivered three scoreless innings before Boston’s defense unraveled in the fourth. A misplayed fly ball by Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, and Romy Gonzalez dropped for a leadoff double. What should have been an out spiraled into a nightmare: a walk, three singles, and a costly error at first base by Nathaniel Lowe handed the Yankees a 4-0 cushion.
“We didn’t play defense,” Cora admitted. “The pop-up drops, then a walk, then a few soft hits. It all happened fast.”
Lowe shouldered responsibility for his mishandled grounder. “I thought I could get the short hop,” he said. “I didn’t. The in-between hop ate me up, and it cost us.”
A Season That Defied Expectations
The loss stung all the more because of how far Boston had come. After trading Rafael Devers to San Francisco in mid-June, the Red Sox sat just above .500. They went on a late surge, winning 52 of their final 89 games to clinch a postseason berth.
“I’m proud of the fight in this room,” Bregman said. “Remember this feeling because it sucks. You don’t want to feel it again.”
Boston had also dominated the Yankees during the regular season, winning 10 of 14 matchups, and carried an impressive playoff track record against their rivals since their historic 2004 comeback. But on this night, their own defensive flaws — a league-worst 116 errors during the season — proved too much to overcome.
Yankees Move On
Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler kept the Red Sox in check, and the Yankees’ defense backed him up with sharp plays, including a highlight catch by third baseman Ryan McMahon tumbling into the dugout. Meanwhile, Boston never mounted a serious threat after the fourth inning.
“This team took a step forward compared to other years,” Cora reflected. “But we didn’t finish the way we wanted.”
For Boston, it’s another offseason of questions. For New York, the victory means a ticket to the American League Division Series — and one more chance to extend their October run.
