NEW YORK -- It was the sort of situation -- two men out and one man on, two-run lead in the seventh inning and the biggest, baddest slugger in baseball taking aim at the bleachers -- that inspired New York's own Billy Joel to write a song.
Pressure?
For most pitchers, sure. But Boston Red Sox reliever Joe Kelly routinely throws a fastball in excess of 100 mph, and given the circumstance Tuesday night, he reached back for another tick or two of velocity to strike out New York Yankees rookie sensation Aaron Judge in an eventual 5-4 victory in the opener of a three-game showdown at Yankee Stadium.