Mars grad David Bednar records 1st postseason save as Yankees edge rival Red Sox to even series
NEW YORK — David Bednar got three outs for his first postseason save Wednesday night, locking down New York’s 4-3 win over Boston in Game 2 of their AL Wild Card Series to force a deciding Game 3.
Bednar, a Mars High School graduate, was shipped at the trade deadline from Pittsburgh to the Yankees, where he could chase his first playoff appearance.
Bednar threw a scoreless ninth inning, striking out the Red Sox’s Trevor Story and Rob Refsnyder. The closer appeared in Game 1, a 3-1 Boston win, throwing 2/3 of an inning but giving up an insurance run when Alex Bregman doubled to left to score Story.
In Game 2, Jazz Chisholm Jr. zipped all the way home from first base on Austin Wells' tiebreaking single in the eighth inning to give the Yankees the lead.
Unhappy he was left out of the starting lineup in the opener, Chisholm also made a critical defensive play at second base that helped the Yankees send the best-of-three playoff to a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.
In the latest chapter of baseball's most storied rivalry, the winner advances to face AL East champion Toronto in a best-of-five Division Series beginning Saturday.
Ben Rice hit an early two-run homer and Aaron Judge had an RBI single for the Yankees, who got three innings of scoreless relief from their shaky bullpen after starter Carlos Rodón put the first two batters on in the seventh.
Devin Williams worked a one-hit eighth for the win.
Story homered and drove in all three runs for the Red Sox, who won the series opener 3-1 on Tuesday night behind ace lefty Garrett Crochet.
