The benefit of being from Boston is that Yankees rookie Cam Schlittler was able to make Thursday's do-or-die start at Yankee Stadium truly personal. The drawback, though, is that he has to interact with Bostonians.
Schlittler, a Walpole native who attended Northeastern and whose father is Needham Police Chief John Schlittler, grew up ensconced in one fandom and helped redefine the other side of the rivalry on Thursday night in the Bronx. Those two realities aren't entirely unrelated. One begat the other.
After striking out 12 men in eight shutout innings without walking a batter, Schlittler told the media that the game had been "personal" for him after Boston fans crossed a line "a little bit".