Overview

• New York scored all four runs in a single fourth-inning sequence at Yankee Stadium, eliminating Boston and moving on in the postseason.
• Four close plays went against the Red Sox, starting with a Cody Bellinger bloop off Ceddanne Rafaela’s glove and culminating in Nathaniel Lowe’s error on an Austin Wells hopper.
• Alex Cora left the 23-year-old Early in with one out and the bases loaded before pulling him after the inning reached 4-0, drawing sharp public and media criticism.
• Cora told ESPN that Boston “didn’t play defense behind him,” as RBI hits by Amed Rosario and Anthony Volpe preceded the misplay at first.
• Boston’s season exceeded expectations despite rotation limitations that led to Early’s start, and Cam Schlittler’s strong outing for New York kept the deficit out of reach.