Three keys for Yankees in winner-take-all Game 3 vs. Red Sox

In what will be another chapter of this storied rivalry, the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League wild-card series on Thursday at 8:08 p.m. ET on ESPN. Boston won Game 1 on Tuesday, 3-1, while the Yankees won Game 2, 4-3, on Wednesday, to even the series at a game apiece.

Each team will be sending a rookie pitcher to the mound in the winner-take-all bout. For the Yankees, it will be Cam Schlittler, who made 14 regular-season starts, going 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings. For the Red Sox, Connelly Early will take the hill. In the regular season, he made only four starts, going 1-2 with a 2.33 ERA, striking out 29 in 19.1 innings. 

Here are three keys to a Yankees' victory in Game 3.

Short-term memory

Many questioned the coaching decisions made by manager Aaron Boone on Tuesday, such as why he opted to remove starting pitcher Max Fried from the game after 6.1 innings or why Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ben Rice were not in the starting lineup. 

Boone made up for his shortcomings on Wednesday night with a well-coached contest. Carlos Rodon remained in the game after a mound visit, allowing him to finish the sixth inning, surrendering three runs on four hits and striking out six.

Both Boone and Red Sox manager Alex Cora have made questionable calls in this series, but none of them matter now. All that matters is Thursday's do-or-die game, and that's where the focus of fans and players must be. 

Score early and get to Red Sox bullpen

One of Cora's questionable decisions occurred on Wednesday, when he left top reliever Garrett Whitlock out to dry in a 47-pitch outing. Cora allowed multiple other relievers to throw at least 20 pitches, too, including closer Aroldis Chapman on Tuesday, who threw 24 pitches in a four-out save. 

After ace starting pitcher Garrett Crochet shut down New York's lineup across 7.2 innings in Game 1, the Yankees did a good job of getting to Boston's bullpen in Game 2. Wednesday's starter, Bryan Bello, only threw 2.1 innings. 

New York will face a rookie hurler on Thursday who has never opposed them, let alone at Yankee Stadium and under the bright lights of an elimination game. Early's nerves might be running high. 

The Yankees must rattle him early and force him into mistakes, prompting Cora to make a swift move to the bullpen. 

Length from Cam Schlittler

Like Boston, New York's bullpen is being stretched thin, as multiple arms are being used on short rest. David Bednar, Devin Williams and Fernando Cruz have each thrown around 30 pitches over the last two games. The only other arms out of the bullpen have been lefty Tim Hill and righty Luke Weaver, who threw a combined 19 pitches in Game 1.

Managers typically don't like using bullpen arms on three consecutive days. But with the season on the line Thursday, Boone might be left with no choice. That's where Schlittler, who has never faced the Red Sox, comes into play.

Fried and Rodon are methodical lefties; the righty Schlittler is the Yankees' hardest-throwing pitcher with a devastating breaking ball. He's showcased explosive stuff this season and should look to capitalize on Boston's unfamiliarity against him.

An excellent outing for Schlittler would be six innings, which he has achieved in five of his last eight outings, and limiting the Red Sox to fewer than two runs (done in nine of 14 outings).