Rookie Schlittler pitches gem

Yankees beat BoSox, Tigers, Cubs advance

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Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler throws during the third inning against the Red Sox.

(REUTERS)

Rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler made a spectacular postseason debut, striking out 12 in eight scoreless innings to carry the New York Yankees to a 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox and into the second round of the Major League Baseball playoffs on Thursday.

Schlittler gave up just five hits and retired the last nine batters he faced — aided in the eighth inning by third baseman Ryan McMahon's stellar catch somersaulting into the Red Sox dugout.

The Yankees completed a 2-1 wildcard series win over their archrivals to book a best-of-five American League division series clash with the Toronto Blue Jays starting today.

“Win or go home situation, just happy to be able to help the team and get the win and go to Toronto,’ Schlittler said after the Yankees, who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s World Series, sealed the win.