Clay Holmes came out to pitch in the 10th inning at Yankee Stadium to boos from the crowd. But after six pitches, all strikes, the fans were cheering as he headed back to the dugout.
Just a week after losing his role as closer, Holmes secured the win as the New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 2-1 on Thursday night, with Juan Soto’s walk-off single in the 10th inning.
Holmes (5-3), a two-time All-Star, has faced criticism from fans for blowing 12 saves out of 41 opportunities. He gave up a game-ending grand slam to Texas rookie Wyatt Langford on September 3 and also squandered a seventh-inning lead against Kansas City on Wednesday before New York won with Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s single in the 11th inning.
His teammates have been supportive.
Holmes said, “This is a fun place to play. We kind of know what we’re playing for here and it’s an atmosphere that I think that just gets the best out of everybody and obviously you want to come through. Winning here is special.”
Gleyber Torres hit a home run off Cooper Criswell to start the first inning, and Danny Jansen homered off Nestor Cortes in the fifth inning.
Tommy Kahnle, the fourth of five Yankees pitchers who combined to allow just four hits, came in to pitch the ninth inning. He got out of a two-on, one-out situation by striking out Trevor Story and getting Triston Casas to fly out.
With an automatic runner on second base to start the 10th inning, Kahnle retired Wilyer Abreu on a first-pitch flyout. Yankees manager Aaron Boone then brought in Holmes.
Boone said, “I think he wants the ball and is confident, rightfully so, in what he can do out there. Despite some of the things that have gone on or some of the outings that have gotten away, I really like his frame of mind and his ability to handle those inevitable ups and downs.”
Holmes then got Ceddanne Rafaela to ground out on an outside slider and Jarren Duran to fly out on a high, inside sweeper.
