BRONX, NY — Eight shutout innings with 12 strikeouts and no walks against his hometown team, the Red Sox, to send Boston home packing for the winter and the Yankees up north to face the Blue Jays in the American League Division Series.
An unreal “killa” performance Thursday night orchestrated by rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series, a win-or-go-home heavyweight bout featuring one of most historic rivalries in all of sports.
Cam Schlittler was an absolute killer on the mound Thursday night, sending the Yankees to the ALDS and the Red Sox home packing – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
In his postseason career debut too. Utterly dominant killer stuff from a rookie in a do-or-die game at Yankee Stadium, one of the most impressive outings by a Yankee in franchise history—becoming the first pitcher in pinstripes to ever record 8.0 shutout innings in a postseason start.
Mowing down 12 Red Sox to make him the only Yankee rookie to ever reach a dozen Ks while on the mound for a playoff outing.
And the only pitcher in Major League Baseball postseason history to go eight scoreless innings with at least 12 strikeouts and no walks.
In his postseason debut, his 15th career start in MLB for his career, a winner take all game, Cam Schlittler recorded a dozen strikeouts across eight scoreless innings – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
The records, feats and firsts could go on for pages upon pages, though, what mattered most according to the Walpole, Massachusetts native—located just 20 miles away from Fenway Park—was the Yankees being able to move on and get one step closer towards their ultimate goal of reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year and this time, win it.
On if he had yet to realize just how historic his performance was following the Yankees’ 4-0 win over the Sox as he and his teammates celebrated with champagne pouring through the home clubhouse, Schlittler revealed, “No, not really. I am just happy we won the game.”
With the AL Wild Card Series victory over the Red Sox, the Yankees are now off to Toronto for an ALDS meeting with the Blue Jays – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Regarding the crowd of 48,833 locked in on each pitch with each team’s season on the line, rising to their feet to give Schlittler a standing ovation after he got Trevor Story to ground out to finish off the eighth inning and his night for the ages:
“Couldn’t hear anything going on. But they were pumped up and excited for me. And that’s just a good feeling also being a rookie. To go give them eight strong is a great feeling.”
Cam Schlittler had the bleacher creatures behind him in full support on each pitch Thursday night for Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Strong would be an understatement. Schlittler, compiling 107 pitches, 75 for strikes, began 22 of his 27 at-bats against Boston with a first pitch strike, good for an 81.4% clip.
With that, firing on each pitch stored in his arsenal—four seam fastball (50), sinker (25), cutter (21), curveball (11)—the 24-year-old kept Boston in check, guessing all night long.
“We needed to be perfect tonight, because he (Schlittler) was perfect,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora stated as Boston recorded just five hits, leaving six baserunners on. “The stuff is outstanding. He was under control. That was electric.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora described Cam Schlittler’s Game 3 outing as a perfect start – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Just how “Killa” of an individual is Schlittler some may be wondering?
“It’s personal for me, just playing Boston,” he said. “I was locked in. I trust the guys to back me up out there and that’s what they did.”
What The Yanks’ Had To Say About The Performance From “Killa Cam”
Manager Aaron Boone: “He was terrific. I’m not surprised. He’s capable of that, I think he expected that. Well maybe, I don’t know about eight shutout innings. But I know he expected to go out there and pitch well. We had a lot of confidence in him giving him the ball today and he went out and delivered.”
Aaron Judge: “He’s been our secret weapon ever since he got called up, this guy’s been impressive for us. Just the way he handles the strike zone—he can run up to 100 miles per hour and has a great feel of all his pitches. And then, no moment is too big for him. Even his debut at Yankee Stadium, he was getting a standing O (ovation) coming off the mound and he was head down, locked in, didn’t even know what was going on. A special player, that’s for sure.”
The Yankees had full confidence in the right-handed rookie Cam Schlittler as their season was on the line Thursday night in the Bronx – Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports
Jazz Chisholm Jr.: “He didn’t look like a rookie, didn’t he? I always tell him he’s a great guy, a great player and he’s a dog. I would rather go out there and play behind him for 162 games. Every time he steps out there, I want to be behind him.”
Giancarlo Stanton: “Unreal. Obviously we couldn’t have done it without him.”
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