BOSTON (AP) — Connor Wong hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied from a three-run deficit to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 in a doubleheader opener on Friday that clinched the No. 5 seed in the American League playoffs.
Boston will plays its Wild Card Series for the second year in a row at the New York Yankees, who won last season’s best-of-three matchup 2-1. It will be the seventh Red Sox-Yankees postseason series.
Wind knocked down flies toward the Green Monster in left ahead of a forecast weekend storm, turning potential homers into doubles off the wall. Tyrone Taylor’s first-inning RBI double was held up by 59 feet and Miguel Amaya’s two-run double in the second by 60 feet, according to Weather Applied Metrics.
The opener was originally scheduled for Sunday afternoon but was moved up because a significant storm was forecast.
Roman Anthony had two doubles and a triple, and scored three runs.
Chicago’s Alex Bregman was 0 for 4 with a strikeout as a designated hitter, his first game since sustaining multiple face fractures when hit by a foul ball in the on-deck circle at Cincinnati last Sunday.
Greg Weissert (4-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings and Raymond Burgos two innings for his second save, part of a Boston bullpen that didn’t allow a hit after the sixth inning.
Starter Alec Gamboa gave up three runs and four hits in two innings for Chicago, which entered in the second NL wild card spot.
Aaron Civale (6-8) gave up Anthony’s triple and Wong’s double in a three-pitch span.
Mickey Gasper started the game at catcher for Boston but was replaced in the sixth inning by Connor Wong after experiencing right biceps discomfort.
Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, Boston tied the score on an Adley Rutschman slow-rolling single up the middle that scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Anthony.
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Cubs LHP David Peterson (9-8, 4.96 ERA) and Red Sox RHP Brayan Bello (6-7, 4.49) were to start Friday’s nightcap.
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