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Red Sox’s late-inning rally was sparked by a group of unsung heroes
"Scrappy, man. We have different ways to win as an offense."
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The Red Sox’s efforts to bolster their roster this past offseason paid dividends on Tuesday night.
Boston’s 3-1 victory over the Yankees in Game 1 of the Wild Card was headlined by the dominant outing from Garrett Crochet — acquired from the White Sox in a blockbuster deal last December.
Alex Bregman — who Boston reeled in during the early days of spring training with a three-year, $120 million contract — delivered some much-needed insurance in the top of the ninth with a two-out, RBI double.
And free-agent pickup Aroldis Chapman — despite testing the cardiac fortitude of Red Sox fans — secured a save on Tuesday by navigating out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning.
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But in a season where several unheralded contributors have also pulled on the rope for Alex Cora’s club, it was fitting that Boston’s seventh-inning rally was orchestrated by the likes of Nick Sogard and Mastaka Yoshida — a duo that few expected would the catalyst for winning plays in the postseason.
“Scrappy, man,” Trevor Story said of Boston’s approach on Tuesday. “We have different ways to win as an offense. I think sometimes we can slug, sometimes we play small ball. Sometimes, walks are big for us, and stealing bases and just doing little things like that. … So [it’s] fun to see those guys do it on this stage, man.”
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After failing to cash in on several chances with runners in scoring position on Tuesday, the tail end of Boston’s lineup woke up against Luke Weaver and the Yankees’ shaky bullpen in the seventh inning.
Staring at a 1-0 deficit entering the frame, Ceddanne Rafaela put the wheels in motion for a rally by working an 11-pitch walk — an impressive result for a free-swinging outfielder who opened the at-bat in an 0-2 hole.
Sogard — who spent a majority of the 2025 season with Triple-A Worcester — capitalized in the next at-bat. The 28-year-old utility man knocked an offering from Weaver into right-center, legging out a double as the ball dribbled between Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham.
With Judge — his throwing strength sapped after returning from forearm/elbow injury — fielding the ball, Sogard took advantage and pushed for extra bases.
“Sogie was freaking amazing. … “That’s preparation,” Cora said of Sogard getting to second base. “We talk about their outfielders and what we can or what we cannot do, and he saw it right away and took advantage of it.”
With runners on second and third, Cora called upon Yoshida to pinch-hit for Rob Refsnyder, given the former’s knack for putting the ball in play.
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It didn’t take long for Yoshida to carry out Cora’s wishes. The first pitch he received from Weaver was punched out into right field for a two-run single — giving Boston a lead it did not cough up for the rest of the night.
As noted by former Red Sox stats guru J.P. Long, Yoshida is the first pinch hitter in Red Sox postseason history to turn a deficit into a lead.
“That’s kind of how it’s been all year,” Story said. “The guys know their roles, and we know what’s expected of us, and I think that’s communicated very clearly, and it has been all year. It’s fun to see Masa come up there ready to hit, first pitch and then get it done. That’s a special thing to do. The moment wasn’t too big, and he put a great swing on the ball.”
It was a gratifying result for several players on Boston’s roster — be it a minor-leaguer with five MLB call-ups already this year in Sogard or a player in Yoshida who dealt with both injuries and a sizable dip in production for a majority of this year.
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And if the Red Sox intend on forging a long playoff run in October, it’s going to have to rely on more contributors further down the depth chart to step up when their number is called.
“I think it’s a next-pitch mentality,” Bregman said of Boston’s approach going into Game 2 on Wednesday. “I think you take it one game at a time, one pitch at a time, and when the clock strikes midnight tonight, it’s on to the next day and you worry about the next pitch and continue to stay focused on execution.”
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