Nathaniel Lowe's crazy new world
NEW YORK - The Red Sox have certainly eased some of their fans' anxiety since arriving in the Bronx.
Behind the left arm of Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox clinched a series win over the Yankees thanks to Saturday afternoon's 12-1 win at Yankee Stadium. The Sox have now taken the first three of the four-game set, having also beaten the Yanks eight straight times this season.
The optimism built from the series' first two games carried over to Game 3, thanks in large part to Trevor Story's three RBI day, which included a solo homer in the fifth inning. And the fact that the win put the Sox 1 1/2 games up on the Yankees in the wild card race was another aspect of the afternoon Alex Cora's club could hang its hat on.
But this day was defined by Crochet's excellence.
The Sox ace allowed just one run on five hits over seven innings, striking out 11 while getting 12 swings and misses. The 103-pitch outing put Crochet's ERA at 2.38.
The outing also allowed for some milestones that only further define who the lefty has been and what he represents.
With his punchout of Aaron Judge in the third inning, Crochet hit the 200-strikeout mark for the season. He is the fourth pitcher in team history to collect 200 or more strikeouts within his first 26 games in a season, joining Chris Sale (2017, 2018), Pedro Martinez (1999, 2000, 2002), and Roger Clemens (1988).
Also, at 26 years and 63 days old, Crochet became the youngest pitcher to log 500 or more strikeouts with a 2.90 ERA or lower within his first career 130 games since Clayton Kershaw in 2012.
The start also helped diminish worries regarding Crochet's workload, which sits at a MLB-high 166 1/3 innings. This was his second straight seven-inning, one-run outing after executing his worst start of the season against Houston (4 IP, 5 R).
It was Crochet's third outing against the Yankees, having allowed five runs in six innings in his only previous Yankee Stadium outing this season. The last time he faced New York on June 13, when he gave up just one run over 8 1/3 innings at Fenway Park.