The Boston Red Sox have had a chance in games whenever Garrett Crochet has been on the mound this season.
Except for one pitch in Friday’s 2-1, extra-inning win over the New York Yankees, he again proved to be the antidote to slugger Aaron Judge.
Crochet held New York scoreless over a career-high 8 1/3 innings, striking out the Yankees slugger three times while holding the rest of New York’s lineup to four hits with seven total Ks.
But with Boston clinging to a 1-0 lead and Crochet back on the hill to try to finish the game in the ninth, his fourth time facing Judge proved costly. Crochet took him to a full count, but let his 99 mph fastball dip down in the strike zone — Judge’s sweet spot. He jumped on it, blasting it 443 feet over the Green Monster and out of Fenway Park to tie the game.
“I’m going to live and die with my best pitch,” Crochet said afterward. “Whether it be pitch selection or execution, tough way to end it. But overall, I felt really good tonight.”
It helped that Crochet’s partner throughout the night — catcher and former Yankee Carlos Narvaez — helped put a happy face on the night, when he ended the game with a walk-off single in the 10th. Crochet didn’t get the victory, but Narváez said it didn’t diminish his masterful night on the mound.
For the season, Judge is just 1 for 7 with six strikeouts against Crochet.
“Crochet was awesome,” Narváez said. “He made a mistake a little bit. But that was a 100 mph fastball. That was impressive. … Probably the best pitcher now against the best hitter in baseball.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he has no regrets about leaving Crochet in the game.
“That wasn’t fun. But our guy was throwing great,” Cora said. “He was efficient toward the end. We gave him a shot. It didn’t work out. That’s why (Judge) is who he is. One of the best in world, and he got one pitch down and he hit it out of the ballpark. You tip your hat.”
Though he acknowledged he’d probably lose sleep over Judge’s last at-bat, Crochet was proud of his overall outing.
“It was a special feeling jogging back out there,” Crochet said. “Standing [ovation]. I could tell the fans wanted me out there. I already wanted to be out there pretty bad. But it made it mean a little bit more. It made me grab a little bit more in that inning. I wish I could have finished it out. … If my night had to end there from a home run I’m at least glad that it was on a fastball.”
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