Yankees Crush Red Sox 9-0 in AL Wild Card Series Opener

The MLB postseason is officially here, and the New York Yankees couldn't have asked for a better start.

Facing their biggest rival in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, the Yankees dominated the Boston Red Sox in a 9-0 victory in front of their home crowd, taking a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. They'll now look to close out the series Wednesday night in New York.

What's most impressive is that the Yankees are doing this without their best player, given the recent news that Aaron Judge has been left off the Wild Card roster as he continues to recover from a strained right calf.

And it was a dominant offensive performance from the Yankees, along with phenomenal pitching that resulted in this blowout win, as they looked like a team that could make a run at the World Series.

Cam Schlittler Dominates Red Sox in Game 1

Schlittler entered the postseason after putting together a greatly impressive regular season, and he continued it Tuesday night.

The Yankees ace threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing only two hits while striking out 10 batters. He did need 117 pitches to get there, but that's what you have to do at this phase of the season when you're hot.

Schlittler completely neutralized a Boston lineup that had already struggled against him during the regular season. And New York's bullpen finished the job, completing the three-hit shutout. That'll get it done in the postseason.

Ben Rice Powers Yankees Offense

While New York's pitching staff was dominant, the bats were also hot, and Ben Rice was the hero. He went 4-for-5 with six RBIs, delivering an RBI single, a solo home run and eventually a grand slam that put the game completely out of reach.

That's exactly the kind of production the Yankees need while Judge is out.

The Yankees remain hopeful that Judge can return if New York advances to the ALDS, but obviously they've got to get there first. After Tuesday night's victory, they're now just one win away from doing that.

And with another game at Yankee Stadium coming Wednesday night, the series is certainly tilted in New York's favor.