Boone defends pulling ace Max Fried as Yankees risk playoff exit to Red Sox

• Yankees lose 3-1 after starter leave with team in lead

• Red Sox lead 1-0 in best-of-three wildcard series

• Yankees manager's decisions have been questioned before

The bullpen that has been one of the New York Yankees' biggest weaknesses this season faltered again in their playoff opener and has them on the brink of elimination at the hands of the rival Boston Red Sox.

After Max Fried worked six scoreless innings in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series, manager Aaron Boone let him take the mound in the seventh. But Boone removed Fried after he retired the first batter in favor of Luke Weaver, who walked the first batter he faced and allowed a double and Masataka Yoshida's two-run single.