Red Sox Hold Off Yankees 3-1 as Chapman Escapes Ninth-Inning Jam

Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman managed a nerve-wracking escape in the ninth, locking down a 3-1 playoff victory against the Yankees at home. His clutch save kept Boston's playoff dreams alive.

The situation got tense when Chapman loaded the bases. Back-to-back hits from Goldschmidt, Judge, and Bellinger had Yankees fans going crazy. But the hard-throwing lefty stayed composed. He struck out Stanton with a wicked 92 mph splitter, then forced Chisholm Jr. to pop out. With the stadium rocking, he blasted past Grisham with some serious gas - a 101 mph fastball to shut it down.

Earlier in the game, Garrett Crochet was dealing. He fanned 11 Yankees through almost eight innings, shutting them down completely. The lefty cruised until handing it over to the pen.

Boston picked up Chapman last winter after he played in Pittsburgh. He's already left his mark - breaking the team record with a 103.4 mph pitch this season.

2025 has been a breakout year for the veteran closer. He grabbed the AL's reliever of the month in August. Then he went on an insane streak of 17 games without allowing a hit - ranking third-best for any pitcher since 1901.

Chapman's no stranger to playoff success. He's earned World Series rings with both the Cubs and Rangers. Now he's bringing that postseason magic to Boston, where he's signed through 2026.

The teams meet again tomorrow. Boston leads the series one game to none.