Rice, Judge, Austin Wells, & Jazz Vault Yanks. NY 4 Boston 3

October 2, 2025 paperbacklou 2025 0

Ben Rice hit a 2-run HR in the 1st to put NY up 2-0, Aaron Judge ripped an RBI single in the 5th to put NY up 3-2, and Austin Wells slashed a clutch RBI double in the 8th — with Jazz Chisholm Jr. sprinting around the basepaths to score from 1st — to vault the Yanks to a 4-3 win over Boston in a do-or-die Wild Card game 2 vs Boston.

Jazz slid home just beating the tag on a great throw from Nate Eaton as Yankee Stadium erupted — on a beautiful, October-chill-in-the-air, Wednesday night in the Bronx.

David Bednar got the save in the 9th — the final batter Ceddanne Rafaela ripping a high drive to right that looked gone off the bat — but was hauled down by Aaron Judge at the warning track. PHEW.

The game was a classic duel with heroic pitching performances and defensive plays.

The two teams now play a winner-take-all game on Thursday night.

“What a game,” said manager Aaron Boone afterwards. “These first 2. A lot of big plays on both sides. I thought our defense tonite was really, really good. Turned a couple of big time double plays. Did some good things on the bases. The HR by Benny to get us rolling. And then the bullpen closing it down after Rodo gave us enough there — even though he struggled there a little bit in the 7th — through 6; set us up. And able to hang on — but what a game.”

1. Rice 2-Run HR in 1st Puts NY Up 2-0

The red hot Ben Rice — who hit 2 HR’s the last game of the season on Sunday — did not play in Wild Card game 1 because:

But righty Brayan Bello started game 2 for Boston, and Ben Rice — playing 1st — got cooking immediately with a 2-run HR in the bottom of the 1st.

2. Bosox Pull Bello in 3rd — Go to Pen

The Yanks continued to pepper Brayan Bello, whose nasty off-speed pitch was off. Austin Wells walked with 1 out in the 2nd, but was erased when Anthony Volpe hit into a doubleplay.

Ryan McMahon led off the 3rd with a single, Trent Grisham hit into a fielder’s choice grounder, and Aaron Judge singled– and just like that Brayon Bello was gone — yanked for lefty (and former Yankee) Justin Wilson — manager Alex Cora throwing in a lefty against the Yanks’ lefty-predominant lineup.

Grisham and Judge then did a double steal — putting runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out — but Wilson got Cody Bellinger to fly out to shallow left — too shallow for Bellinger to score.

Aaron Judge — who was on 2nd, signaled what pitches Wilson was about to throw to Ben Rice — and Rice hit a bullet to right — right at the rightfielder Nate Eaton for the final out.

Wilson pitched a shutout 4th as well.

The rest of the night Cora would bring reliever after reliever out:

3. Rodon Good — Bitten by Story

Carlos Rodon meanwhile looked sharp from the start — retiring the first 6 batters of the game, striking out 3.

But in the 3rd he ran into trouble — a leadoff single by Jaren Duran, a walk to Ceddanne Rafaela, and then an error by Rodon on a bunt back to him — to load the bases with nobody out.

Rodon struck out Rob Refsnyder — but Trevor Story knocked in 2 runs with a single to left.

Rodon was helped by his D — a tremendous defensive play by Jazz Chisholm Jr. and 2nd — to Volpe to 1st for an inning-ending double play.

Rodon settled down — pitching a shutout 4th (allowing just a 2 out single) and 1-2-3 inning in the 5th.

NY 2 Boston 2.

4. Judge Puts Yanks Up 3-2 in 5th

Righty Justin Slaten came in and got the first 2 outs of the bottom of the 5th, but lefty Trent Grisham walked and went to 2nd on a wild pitch.

That brought up Aaron Judge, who ripped a line drive to left that Jalen Duran couldn’t quite catch for a 3-2 Yankee lead.

5. Story HR Ties It 3-3 in 6th

But the lead was extremely short lived — because there was Trevor Story again — leading off the top of the 6th with a HR to left off Rodon — and just like that it was tied again 3-3.

Defense Helps Rodon Again

Rodon walked Alex Bregman behind Story — and manager Aaron Boone came out to look to pull him. But Rodon convinced Boone to let him stay in the game — and Rodon got Remy Gonzalez to pop out, and got Carlos Narvaez to hit into an inning-ending double play.

6. Cruz — and Jazz D — Saves Rodon in 7th

Rodon got into more trouble to start the 7th — walking Nate Eaton to lead off the inning and hitting Jalen Duran with a pitch.

With 1st and 2nd, nobody out, Fernando Cruz was brought in.

Cruz and his NASTY SPLITTER got Rafaela to pop up a bunt — Cruz catching it himself.

Then Cruz and his NASTY SPLITTER got Nick Sogard to fly to left.

Two outs.

Jazz Defense Saves Cruz

Yoshida hit what looked like a single up the middle but Jazz Chisholm Jr. made a diving stop on it — throwing to 1st. The ball got away from Ben Rice at 1st — but Eaton stayed on 3rd.

Then Fernando Cruz and his NASTY SPLITTER got Trevor Story to fly out to deep Center where Trent Grisham caught it by the warning track. PHEW.

Yankee Stadium and Fernando Cruz Exploded in happiness.

7. Devin Good

Devin Williams pitched the top of the 8th in the 3-3 game — the Yankee season on the ropes.

Volpe D Helps Turn DP

Devin allowed a leadoff single to Alex Bregman — but got Jonathan Lowe to hit a comebacker — and turned it into a double play — Anthony Volpe making a tremendous leap-catch and pivot to turn the DP at 2nd.

And then Devin took care of business — striking out Carlos Narvaez with his Air Bender.

Unknown to most the bat hit Nate Eaton in the batter’s circle.

8. Wells & Jazz Vault Yanks Ahead in 8th

That brought the game to the bottom of the 8th — a 3-3 tie with the Yankee season on the brink.

Former Yank and nemesis setup man Garrett Whitlock was in — and he struck out Ben Rice and got Giancarlo Stanton on an easy grounder to 3rd.

But Jazz Chisholm Jr. worked a 7-pitch walk — fouling off a 3-2 sinker, then taking a 3-2 sinker inside.

And next batter Austin Wells ripped a double JUST FAIR — it hit the chalk line — down the right-field line — and Jazz SPRINTED home — sliding in and JUST beating a great throw by Eaton.

Another view — Rickie Riccardo on the Spanish broadcast:

The Yanks weren’t done against Whitlock — Anthony Volpe singled, sending Wells to 2nd, and Ryan McMahon walked to load the bases.

But rookie 22-year-old lefty Tolle came in and went 3-2 on lefty Trent Grisham — before getting him to ground out.

9. Bednar the PHEW Save

So it was 4-3 NY and to the 9th with David Bednar on the mound — and he immediately took care of business, striking out the first 2 batters — pinchhitter Wilyer Abreu and Duran.

And then Ceddanne Rafaela hit a high drive to right — heart attacks for Yankee fans everywhere — but Aaron Judge tracked it down on the warning track, 2 feet from the wall for the old ballgame.

The Boxscore

https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401809255

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