NEW YORK -- In the end, it was the players who weren't in the lineup in Game 1 who helped the New York Yankees force a Game 3 against the Boston Red Sox . It was Ben Rice early and Jazz Chisholm Jr. late Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, extending New York's season with a Game 2 win ( NYY 4, BOS 3 ). Thursday's Game 3 will send one team to the ALDS to face the Toronto Blue Jays and the other home.

Rice did not start Game 1 against Garrett Crochet because he's a lefty hitter who can have trouble with lefties, and also because Paul Goldschmidt crushed lefties in 2025. Rice and Goldschmidt make for a natural platoon. It has been tough sledding the last few weeks for Goldschmidt though. Rice, meanwhile, went 10 for 23 with three homers in his final six regular-season games.

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