NEW YORK — Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice spent their formative years surrounded by everything that was the Red Sox, only to land on the other side of baseball’s most historic rivalry. Back in the postseason spotlight, the Massachusetts-born duo delivered for the Yankees, breaking a few more New England hearts in the process. Schlittler struck out 10 in 6 1/3 scoreless innings and Rice launched two home runs, including a grand slam, as part of a six-RBI performance as the Yankees cruised to a 9-0 victory over Boston in Tuesday’s Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. In the history of the best-of-three Wild Card Series, teams that took a 1-0 lead won the series 21 of 24 times (88%), including 17 two-game sweeps. Home teams have won all nine series in which they led 1-0, including eight sweeps. A native of Walpole, Massachusetts, who grew up rooting for the Red Sox, only to become one of Red Sox Nation’s most popular targets on social media, Schlittler boasted early on that he’s “good at keeping receipts.” Using the available anger bait as fuel, Schlittler put together a strong follow-up after sending Boston home following last year’s American League Wild Card Series. Schlittler, the likely American League Cy Young Award winner, set the tone by throwing his first pitch at 100.6 mph and then refusing to slow down. With a career-high 117 pitches, Schlittler relied heavily on his four-seam ball and curveball, allowing two singles and a walk. Austin Wells’ RBI single in the second inning produced the Yankees’ only run off Payton Tolle, who scattered five hits in 4 2/3 innings. Rice, who led the team with 41 home runs during the regular season, greeted left-hander Erik Miller by launching a 96.8 mph sinker over the center field wall for the second career postseason home run. He added an RBI single in the seventh inning and then sent his grand slam into the right field bullpen in the eighth. “From the beginning … I thought, ‘Wow, it’s going to go away. I hope it goes away,'” Rice said. “I was excited because he came out and we got four more runs on the board to save the bullpen.” Growing up in Cohasset, Massachusetts, Rice chose his pinstripes from an early age and somehow returned from a game at Fenway with a Yankees cap as a souvenir. That was all it took: During a later childhood visit, Rice memorably scrawled “The Yankees rule!” at the Pesky pole. Now no pens needed. Once again, Schlittler and Rice made their mark.
