Yankees’ Austin Wells ends 22-year drought with clutch hit vs. Red Sox

The New York Yankees avoided elimination in the 2025 American League Wild Card Series, as they held off the Boston Red Sox for a 4-3 win in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night, all thanks to Austin Wells coming through in the clutch with an eighth-inning RBI single. The Yankees hadn’t recorded a go-ahead postseason hit this late in a must-win game since Aaron Boone’s walk-off in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, breaking a 22-year dry spell.

Carlos Rodon started for New York and pitched six-plus innings of three-run, four-hit ball, striking out six and walking three. After a wobbly third inning, when Jarren Duran singled and Ceddanne Rafaela walked, Rodon settled in, inducing crucial double plays and limiting further damage. All the while Trevor Story racked up three RBIs, two on a third-inning single and one on a sixth-inning solo shot, Rodon kept the Yankees afloat until the bullpen took the reins.

New York’s offense got off to a flying start from Ben Rice, who in his postseason debut crushed a 106.6 mph two-run homer off Brayan Bello in the first inning, giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead. Rice would finish the night with two hits. Aaron Judge added an RBI single in the fifth to give New York a 3-2 advantage, though Boston quickly tied the game in the sixth on Story’s homer.

The game remained tied 3-3 heading into the bottom of the eighth, when Jazz Chisholm Jr., who had started the series on the bench, drew a walk against Garrett Whitlock to set the stage. Wells worked a full-count at-bat before lining a changeup down the right-field line. Chisholm raced from first and slid headfirst into home plate just ahead of the throw from right fielder Nate Eaton, giving the Yankees the go-ahead run.

New York’s bullpen then shut the door. Fernando Cruz induced a groundout from Story with the bases loaded in the seventh, Devin Williams started a 1-6-3 double play on pinch-hitter Nathaniel Lowe and struck out Carlos Narvaez to end the eighth, and David Bednar nailed down his first career postseason save by striking out the side in the ninth.

The Yankees have now forced a winner-take-all Game 3 on Thursday in New York, where rookie Cam Schlittler is likely to make his playoff debut against Boston, which burned through six relievers in Game 2.