NEW YORK – The Red Sox may have reversed the Curse of the Bambino 21 Octobers ago, but the specter of the Sultan of Swat loomed over Yankee Stadium in the hours leading up to the deciding Game 3 of the rivals’ Wild Card series.

Penciled in to pitch for the Red Sox when the game began at 8:08 p.m. ET was left-hander Connelly Early. At 23 years and 182 days old, he would be the youngest Red Sox pitcher in a postseason game since the Bambino himself. Babe Ruth was 21 years and 246 days old when he pitched all 14 innings of Game 2 – and drove in the tying run – in the 1916 World Series.

“We look at all the available arms and pick the guy that we think has the best chance to win a game for us,” chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told the Herald. “But no, it’s crazy.”

Because of course ther

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