MLB: Brock Holt hits for historic cycle as Boston Red Sox rout New York Yankees 16-1

Andrew Benintendi highlighted a seven-run fourth inning with a bases-clearing double, Brock Holt hit for the first cycle in postseason history, and the visiting Boston Red Sox rolled to a 16-1 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Monday night.

Game 4 is Tuesday, and the Red Sox are one win away from closing out the best-of-five ALDS and meeting the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series. Rick Porcello is set to pitch for Boston, while CC Sabathia will start for the Yankees.

The Red Sox built a 3-0 lead on Luis Severino (0-1) through three innings and led 4-0 when Benintendi stepped in against Lance Lynn.

Benintendi broke it open when he ripped a 2-2 fastball just inside fair territory and down the right-field line.

The ball caromed off the corner of the wall before right fielder Aaron Judge could field it as Christian Vazquez, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts scored.

Following Benintendi's hit, the Red Sox extended the lead on a single to left by Steve Pearce off Chad Green. Holt, who had singled to lead off the inning, then lined a sharp triple to right that followed the same trajectory as Benintendi's double and made it 10-0.

Holt went 4-for-6 and finished off his cycle with a two-run homer off Yankees backup catcher Austin Romine in the ninth.

After the game, Holt said he wasn't aware he had made history with the cycle.

"Is that the first one ever?" he said on TBS television. "That's pretty special. To do it here at Yankee Stadium, special night and a good night all around for the Red Sox. Hopefully, we can carry this over."

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he was happy to see Holt get a chance, then take advantage of it.

"Last year was a tough one for him as far as being healthy and the whole thing that went on with him, but when healthy, he can help you out," Cora said. "Tonight was a great night for him."

Boston matched its record for most runs during a postseason inning. The Red Sox produced their fourth seven-run inning in a postseason game and first since Game 1 of the 2007 World Series against the Colorado Rockies.

J.D. Martinez added an RBI single in the seventh off Jonathan Holder, and Holt hit an RBI double in the eighth off Stephen Tarpley. Boston scored its 13th run when Ian Kinsler trotted in on an eighth-inning wild pitch, then took a 14-1 lead on Betts' base hit later in the inning as visiting fans began chanting "Let's Go Red Sox."

The Red Sox pounded out 18 hits and scored their most runs in a road playoff game.

Before the big inning, Boston took a 3-0 lead on Vazquez's infield hit off Severino's glove in the second before getting two runs in the third on a sacrifice fly by Martinez and an RBI groundout by Rafael Devers.

Former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi (0-1) shined in his first career postseason start, allowing one run on five hits in seven innings. He struck out five without issuing a walk.

Severino's velocity appeared to be down a tick in the opening innings, and he allowed six runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. He was lifted in the fourth after allowing singles to Holt and Vazquez and a walk to Bradley.

Asked about not taking Severino from the game sooner, New York manager Aaron Boone said he was trying to preserve his bullpen.

"You also understand with feeling like Dellin (Betances) is a little short tonight and not probably having him in a multiple-inning situation and down three there, you're trying to kind of steal every out, and then once you get to Bradley, knowing it's a bunting situation probably, we just kind of stuck with him, and then hoping Lynn for those righties at the top that didn't work out well, and that inning snowballs on us," Boone said. "But that was the thinking behind it."

According to announcer Ron Darling on the TBS telecast, Severino did not begin warming up until 7:32 p.m. ET, only 10 minutes before he threw his first pitch.

After the game, Severino took issue with Darling's comment.

"Whatever this guy is saying, I don't know where it's coming from," he said. "If my pitching coach said that to you, you could believe it. But not whatever (Darling) said. He's not always in the bullpen. How does he know what time I go out? I came out 20 minutes before the game like I usually do, so I don't know why he says that."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone also disputed Darling: "No, he got his normal pitches routine, faced his couple hitters down there. So no, no issue with that."

New York, which scored its lone run on a groundout by Didi Gregorius in the fourth inning, saw its seven-game home postseason streak snapped.

(With inputs from agencies.)