The Boston Red Sox are going home earlier than they wanted to following Thursday night’s series-ending 4-0 loss to the New York Yankees. Some sloppy defense cost them dearly in the winner-take-all Wild Card matchup.

New York scored all four runs in a messy fourth inning where Boston’s fielders did no favors for rookie starting pitcher Connelly Early. The rally began when a diving Ceddanne Rafaela couldn’t secure a Cody Bellinger fly ball to center field, resulting in a leadoff double.

Rafaela reflected on the play after the game, per The Athletic’s Steve Buckley .

“Right there, I just gave my all to catch it,” Rafaela said. “I saw (right fielder Wilyer Abreu) maybe didn’t have a chance, so I gave my all to catch that ball. … I just saw he wasn’t going to be able to get to it, and I

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