The two-time All-Star got the Game 1 start in the American League Wild Card Series on the road against Boston’s rivals in the New York Yankees. Crochet got a handful of postseason innings in relief with the Chicago White Sox earlier in his career, though Tuesday night brought him to center stage in the Bronx.
Despite the lone blemish of a solo home run from Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, Crochet completely dominated New York’s talented lineup. The Red Sox left-hander dazzled with his repertoire with 11 strikeouts across 7 2/3 innings. He turned the ball to All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman for a four-out save. Crochet ended the night when his 117th pitch struck out catcher Austin Wells looking at a 100 MPH fastball. The Red Sox rewarded their ace with a comeback 3-1 with all three runs coming in the final three innings.
Crochet tied the mark for the second-most strikeouts in a postseason game by a Red Sox starter, only trailing Pedro Martinez’s 12 against the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1999 ALCS. Crochet ensured Boston only needed two pitchers to win Tuedsay.
That’s a message he shared with his manager during a team workout Monday.
“It started (Monday), he was in the dugout with me,” Alex Cora told reporters, per NESN. ” For some reason, our front office was out there checking something. I was joking that we should call the bullpen. He said, ‘(Tuesday) you’re going to make one call to the bullpen.’ I said maybe two. He said, ‘No. One call. It’s going to be straight to (Chapman).'”
Crochet bluntly admitted he was
“Just being arrogant, to be honest,” Crochet told reporters, per NESN. “I didn’t actually expect that to be the case, but when he sent me back out there, I was determined to leave it that way.”
The Game 1 victory moved the Red Sox to 5-0 in Crochet’s starts this season against the Yankees. Boston can advance to the American League Division Series with a win in Game 2. Brayan Bello, who holds a 2.35 career ERA against New York, takes the ball Wednesday at Yankee Stadium for the Red Sox.
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