Garrett Crochet Delivers Gem In Game One Win Over Yankees

Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher. Fortunately for the Boston Red Sox, they have Garrett Crochet.

The lefty took the mound for Boston’s postseason opener against the New York Yankees on Tuesday and turned in a performance for the ages. His final line reads 7 2/3 innings, four hits, one run, and 11 strikeouts without walking a hitter.

The only run he allowed was a solo home run to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe in the second inning. After the home run, he retired the next 17 hitters he faced before Volpe singled in the eighth inning.

After Volpe’s single, Crochet engaged in a battle with Austin Wells. Wells went down 0-2, but fought back to a 3-2 count. On the eighth pitch of the at-bat and Crochet’s 117th pitch of the night, he reached back for a 100.2 mph fastball to strike out Wells and end his outing. The 117 pitches were a career-high for Crochet.

“I just wanted to really honor that decision,” Crochet said. “I feel like [Alex Cora] has put a lot of faith in me this year and I haven’t let him down yet, so I was going to be damn sure this wasn’t the first time.”

Crochet’s fastball averaged 97.7 mph, a 1.3 mph increase over his season average. It only generated three whiffs on 41 pitches, and its 54% strike rate was very low. Fortunately, his other pitches picked up the slack. His cutter, sinker, sweeper and changeup combined for 13 whiffs and a 76% strikeout, helping Crochet not hand out a single free pass. With the Red Sox offense scuffling, the outing from Crochet is exactly what they needed.

“It was special. That’s what the big guys do. That’s what Cy Young-type guys do,” Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman said.

The Red Sox took the lead in the top of the seventh inning and handed the ball to Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning, leading by a run. He completed the eighth, and Boston tacked on another run in the top of the ninth. Chapman loaded the bases in the top of the ninth without recording an out, but managed to escape the jam to hand the Red Sox a 3-1 victory in game one of the series.