BOSTON -- More eyes than usual flitted toward the Fenway Park radar gun on Friday night, as Chris Sale uncorked his first pitch in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. When the board registered 95 mph, relief washed over those concerned that Sale -- who had not pitched in nine days, who had thrown just 17 innings since July 28, and whose average fastball velocity had dipped into the low 90s in September -- might not be his typical self.
Any lingering worries evaporated when Sale hit 97 mph later in the game, averaging 95 in the 5-4 win over the Yankees. The only two runs on Sale's line crossed home after he departed. Otherwise, Sale was Sale, striking out eight and allowing five hits over 5 1/3 innings.

"He commanded the game from the second he stepped on the rubber until [manager Alex Cora] took the ball from him," reliever Matt Barnes said. "I think we all know he was going to be good."
:: ALDS schedule and results ::
A favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award for much of the early season, Sale dropped out of realistic contention for that honor when a bout of left shoulder inflammation forced him to rest for most of the second half. Given the luxury of a sizeable AL East lead, the Red Sox put Sale in bubble wrap, never using him past the fifth inning of any September game. As his teammates finished off the division title, Sale's life became a slog of extra rest and bullpen work.
That placed a film of uncertainty over his first postseason start, without even considering Sale's struggles -- 0-2 and an 8.38 ERA -- in his two previous career playoff starts. But the mystery lasted only until Sale began lighting up the radar gun, and logging zeros on the Green Monster scoreboard.
Sale tonight:
Avg. 4-seam velo: 94.6 mph
Max 4-seam velo: 96.6 mph
Sale's previous start (Sept. 26):
Avg. 4-seam velo: 90.2 mph
Max 4-seam velo: 94.5 mph
"I felt more like myself because I felt like this was just a normal start," Sale said. "There were no restrictions. There was no going out to the bullpen after my start to add pitches. I knew I was going to get my 100-plus pitches, or somewhere around there. That's a very freeing feeling."
What Sale did with his 93 pitches became even more critical given Boston's bullpen issues behind him. Striking out the first two batters he faced and four of the first six, Sale did not allow a runner into scoring position until there were two out in the fourth inning. He struck out Miguel Andujar to blunt that rally, recording his eighth and final whiff of the night.

A bit more trouble found Sale in the fifth, when the Yankees chased him from the game with a pair of singles, then Ryan Brasier allowed both inherited runners to score. Even in his final moments, however, Sale's velocity stayed strong. His final pitch of the night crackled in at 96 mph. That Sale threw more sliders than four-seam fastballs, he said, was merely a product of catcher Sandy Leon's game plan.

"Not his dominant self necessarily, but I thought he did a really nice job of mixing his pitches, changing speeds," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. "He could reach back for a little bit on the heater when he really needed to. So I think he gave them a strong outing, no doubt about it."

For the Red Sox, Sale's performance was as important to their October outlook as it was to their Game 1 victory. The AL's All-Star Game starter for a third consecutive season, Sale went 12-4 with a 2.11 ERA in 27 starts, including an 11-4 mark and 2.04 ERA before his first trip to the disabled list. Since breaking into the Majors in 2010, Sale holds the AL's lowest ERA, making him one of the most critical components of this Red Sox team.

Friday was a new beginning of sorts for the left-hander, the unraveling of a mystery. It was the performance Sale had been waiting to deliver for most of the second half of the season.
"I threw every pitch tonight like [Cora] was going to take the ball out of my hand after the pitch I threw," Sale said. "You have to go up there and do what you have to do to get a win."