On a night when the New York Yankees desperately needed a spark, Jazz Chisholm Jr. provided it with every ounce of fire he had. His furious sprint from first to home in the eighth inning wasn’t just a run on the scoreboard—it was a statement, the one that his team needed. The Bronx crowd roared as the Yankees edged the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Wednesday night, knotting the AL Wild Card Series at one game apiece and setting the stage for a dramatic do-or-die Game 3.
It was a night where power, pitching, and poise all collided. But when the lights shone brightest, it was Chisholm’s speed and energy that tilted the balance.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. Changes the Game
Chisholm came into the night with something to prove. Benched for Game 1, the fiery second baseman admitted he wasn’t thrilled about sitting. By Wednesday, though, he had channeled that frustration into something productive.
Early on, Chisholm’s bat was quiet. But in the seventh inning, he showed why he’s more than just flash. With runners on first and second, Masataka Yoshida laced a sharp grounder up the middle, a ball that looked destined for center field. Chisholm dove to his left, smothered it, and kept Nate Eaton from scoring. It was the kind of defensive play that doesn’t show up in headlines but keeps seasons alive.
One inning later, his moment arrived. Down to two outs in the eighth, Chisholm fought back from a two-strike count to draw a walk. Then came the defining sequence: Austin Wells ripped a single into right that had a favorable bounce, and Chisholm turned the basepaths into a racetrack. His sprint home was relentless, like a man running through the frustration of the previous night. By the time he slid across the plate, the Yankees had their go-ahead run—and the kind of momentum swing you feel in your bones.
Carlos Rodón Walks the Tightrope
For all the energy Chisholm brought, the Yankees wouldn’t have had the chance without Carlos Rodón. The left-hander has worn the weight of expectations all season, and in a win-or-go-home scenario, he delivered a gutsy outing.
Rodón gave New York six-plus innings, striking out six while allowing just three runs. It wasn’t flawless—he scattered four hits, walked three, and wobbled in the seventh—but it was enough. When manager Aaron Boone tried to squeeze a little more out of him, Rodón ran out of gas. A walk, a wild pitch, and a hit batter signaled the end, but by then he had already done his job and was saved by his teammate Fernando Cruz.
Pitching in October often feels like walking a tightrope. One wrong move, and everything can unravel. Rodón bent but never broke, and in doing so, kept his team’s season breathing.
Bullpen Slams the Door
Once Rodón handed over the ball, the bullpen was unshakable. Fernando Cruz inherited a no-out, two-on mess in the seventh and coolly recorded three outs without a run crossing. Devin Williams worked the eighth with command, giving himself the win, before David Bednar closed the door in the ninth with two strikeouts.
This was the type of bullpen performance Boone has been searching for all year—airtight, composed, and ruthless. Not only did they protect the lead, but they shifted the narrative around a group that has often been questioned.
Ben Rice Delivers Early Thunder
Before the late drama, it was rookie Ben Rice who lit the first spark. In the opening frame, he turned on a Brayan Bello fastball and sent it soaring for a two-run homer. The crowd erupted, and just like that, the Yankees had a 2-0 cushion.
Rice finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, proving once again he’s more than just a promising bat—he’s already a difference-maker. Aaron Judge and Wells also chipped in with two hits apiece, helping the Yankees pile up 10 hits on the night.
Giancarlo Stanton’s Silent October Start
For all the positives, one glaring concern remains: Giancarlo Stanton has yet to show up. In two games, the slugger is 0-for-8 with two strikeouts, a ghost of the October menace the Yankees have relied on in years past.
It’s rare for Stanton to stay this quiet in October, and if the Yankees are going to survive beyond Boston, they’ll need his bat to wake up. Game 3 looms as the moment for him to change the storyline.
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