Garrett Crochet made an unforgettable postseason debut on Tuesday night, putting together the kind of performance that instantly etched his name into Boston Red Sox playoff lore. Taking the mound at Yankee Stadium in the Wild Card Series opener, the young left-hander delivered a dazzling display of dominance, striking out 11 batters while surrendering just one run over 7 2/3 innings. His command and poise under the bright October lights powered Boston to a dramatic 3-1 victory over their fiercest rival, the New York Yankees, and inched the Red Sox one step closer to setting up a Division Series clash with the Toronto Blue Jays.
What made the night even more remarkable was the recognition Crochet received from one of the game’s most feared hitters. Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, who faced Crochet head-on, didn’t hold back in his praise during his postgame media session.
“He’s the best pitcher in the game,” Judge declared. “He used every pitch in his arsenal, mixing in more off-speed stuff early to keep us guessing. We managed to get a homer from Volpe, but when we had runners on base, he shut us down. We just couldn’t break through against him.”
Judge himself went 1-for-3 against Crochet, striking out in the sixth inning as part of the lefty’s overpowering outing. His lone hit came in the ninth inning, a single against Aroldis Chapman, though the Yankees’ late rally fizzled after Chapman loaded the bases with none out before tightening up to close the game.
The win gives Boston the early advantage in the best-of-three series and sends the matchup back to Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night for a pivotal Game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 6:08 p.m. ET, with the Red Sox now just one victory away from advancing deeper into the October spotlight.
