The New York Yankees dismantled the Boston Red Sox 9-0 in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Cam Schlittler dominated on the mound. Ben Rice delivered six RBIs. The sellout crowd of 48,437 never had a reason to sit quiet.
In the middle of all of it, the youngest player on the roster played like the atmosphere was nothing new.
George Lombard Jr. went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in his postseason debut.
What Lombard Showed
Lombard was spotless in the field and produced three clean singles against a Red Sox pitching staff that had nothing to offer in response. He scored twice and set the table throughout the night.
He described the team’s offensive approach in simple terms.
“Just consistently good at-bats, one through nine,” Lombard said.
When asked about the magnitude of starting a playoff game at Yankee Stadium at his age, Lombard acknowledged the moment and made an honest admission.
“It’s definitely an honor and I have to pinch myself every now and then,” Lombard said. “But we know what the goal is and we know what we’re all trying to do as a group, so it’s easy to just focus on that.”
Lombard on Schlittler’s Dominance for the Yankees
Lombard said he knew early that Schlittler was going to have a special night. The stuff was obvious from the first pitch.
“When I saw him come out there, I saw his stuff and I was like, ‘alright,'” Lombard said. “He’s just got to keep doing his thing and we’ll score some runs for him.”
Schlittler held the Red Sox to two hits across 6⅓ innings with 10 strikeouts and a career-high 24 swing-and-misses. Lombard watched it unfold from behind him at shortstop and described what it felt like to play defense while the Cy Young favorite carved through the opposing lineup.
“He was awesome. It’s a lot of fun just watching him work,” Lombard said. “The competitiveness, obviously the stuff is electric. He’s just a competitor. He’s fierce out there. He attacks. It’s just a lot of fun playing behind him.”
Lombard on Rice’s Monster Night
When the conversation turned to Rice’s 4-for-5, six-RBI performance, Lombard did not hesitate.
“He’s one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen and he shows why all the time,” Lombard said.
Rice’s grand slam off Brayan Bello in the eighth inning turned a comfortable lead into a rout. His solo homer in the fifth off Erik Miller gave the Yankees breathing room when the game was still tight. Lombard had a front-row seat for all of it.
Final Word for the Yankees
George Lombard Jr. went 3-for-4 in his first postseason game. He scored twice. He played clean defense at shortstop. And then he walked to the microphone and talked about how good his teammates were.
That tells you everything about where his head is. The young shortstop is not caught up in the moment. He is in it.
The Yankees are one win away from the ALDS. Lombard sounds like a player ready for however long the ride lasts.
Yankees George Lombard Jr. Makes Personal Admission After Playoff Debut