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New York Post
· collected 2026-10-01 · by Mark W. Sanchez
Story summary
In Game 2 of the Yankees-Red Sox wild-card series on Wednesday night, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox 9-2, completing their sweep and advancing to face the Rays in the ALDS. The pivotal moment came when the Red Sox intentionally walked Ben Rice with a runner on second base to pitch to Cody Bellinger. Manager Chad Tracy's strategy backfired as Bellinger hit a three-run home run, extending the Yankees' lead to 8-1 (Boston later scored one run). Knicks player Josh Hart mocked this decision, calling it "dumb as hell" and highlighting how the Yankees used this opportunity to widen their lead. The series ended with the Yankees dominating the Red Sox in both games by a combined score of 18-2, setting up an ALDS matchup starting on Saturday against Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field.
Written for “Yankees Sweep Red Sox” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 10 other(s) covering the same event.
There were reasons for Cody Bellinger to feel disrespected.
asserted
Bellinger → be → ?
The Red Sox wanted to pitch to a slugging outfielder who had been signed to a $162.5 million contract this winter.
asserted
who → want → contract
Try it freeWith two outs in the sixth inning and Trent Grisham on second base, Boston intentionally walked Ben Rice to take its chances with Bellinger.
asserted
Boston → try → Bellinger
And after Bellinger reached out and got just enough juice behind a Garrett Whitlock changeup for a three-run home run, he slowly trotted around the bases in a fashion that hinted he noticed Boston’s Willson Contreras had done the same in the top of the inning.
asserted
Contreras → reach → inning
Regardless of the motivation, Bellinger’s execution was flawless in turning a close game lopsided, his blast the last that mattered in what became a 9-2 smacking of the Red Sox to clinch the wild-card series Wednesday in The Bronx and earn a date with the Rays in the ALDS.
asserted
what → turn → ALDS
Chad Tracy and the Red Sox had reason to prefer facing Bellinger in what was then a game they trailed, 5-1, simply because Bellinger was not Rice.
asserted
Bellinger → have → Bellinger
A night earlier, the Yankees first baseman/DH was unstoppable in going 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and six RBIs.
asserted
DH → go → runs
And in his previous at-bat Wednesday, Rice had stroked a single through the right side.
Shop Yankees Merch
And so it was Bellinger who was left to feel inspired, which resulted in a swing that would not have produced a home run in any other ballpark.
asserted
that → stroke → ballpark
He got under the Whitlock pitch, lifting it high enough that there was no doubt it would be a home run or an out at the wall.
asserted
it → get → wall
Which meant there was a bit more reason for Bellinger to not sprint out of the box.
asserted
Bellinger → mean → box
He walked, then slow-jogged to first, saw it land in the stands 360 feet away just beyond the reach of Wilyer Abreu, and then saw no reason to speed up.
asserted
it → walk → reason
Just a few minutes earlier, Contreras had popped a home run for the Red Sox’ first run of the series and ran as if he wanted Boston to savor every moment of the drought-buster.
asserted
Boston → pop → buster
The trot was officially clocked at 30.09 seconds.
asserted
trot → clock → seconds
In a series in which the Yankees beat the Red Sox in every way imaginable, this apparent battle of pettiness went to the Yankees too: Bellinger slogged around the bases absorbing the cheers just a bit longer at 31.29 seconds.
asserted
Bellinger → beat → seconds
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