Game 3: Yankees at Red Sox

Lineups via Chad Jennings

YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Johnson DH
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Swisher RF
Brett Gardner LF

LHP Andy Pettitte

RED SOX
Jacoby Ellsbury LF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Victor Martinez C
Kevin Youkilis 1B
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
J.D. Drew RF
Mike Cameron CF
Marco Scutaro SS

RHP John Lackey

RUBBER MATCH: Tonight someone will walk out with a 2-1 lead in the season series, before the Yanks return to Boston May 7 for the second series.

ALL BECAUSE OF U2: Looking at the Yanks-Sox schedule this year, the teams play 6 straight times at Fenway to start the season. Then their next 9 match-ups are at Yankee Stadium, and then its back to Boston for the last 3 games of the season. Apparently it's Bono's fault. It's similar to the long road trip the Yanks took in 2008 because of the Pope giving Mass at the old Stadium. Just another reason the Yanks are better than the Sox, the Yankees don't move their schedule around for anyone less than the Pope.

SOME RELIEF FOR THE RELIEVERS: After throwing 30 pitches Sunday night, and then coming back with a brilliant performance last night, Joba is not likely to pitch tonight. Chan Ho Park is ready to go after sitting out last night with the flu. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? We'll find out tonight, I guess.

ROID RAGE?: David Ortiz lashed out at reporters after last night's game, dropping a plethora of expletives about his hitless beginning of the season compared to his slow start last year. If you, as a professional baseball player, are already cursing out reporters after the SECOND game of the season, they obviously hit a sore spot with the question they asked.

CASHMAN IN MIDSEASON FORM: The Yankees claimed Padres OF prospect Chad Huffman off waivers. Apparently Huffman is ranked the 21st best prospect in the Padres organization, and was optioned to AAA Scranton.

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Game 150: Yankees at Mariners

YANKEES (95-54)
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Cano 2B
Cabrera RF
Gardner CF

Pitching: RHP Joba Chamberlain (8-5, 4.39).

MARINERS (77-72)
Suzuki RF
Gutierrez CF
Lopez 2B
Griffey Jr. DH
Beltre 3B
Hall LF
Carp 1B
Moore C
Wilson SS

Pitching: RHP Ian Snell (4-2, 4.86).

TIME/TV: 4:10, YES.

Our apologies for not getting a post up last night. We had a "failure to communicate" and dropped the ball on that one.

Key thing: Magic number is 9 and Boston is up 8-2 over Baltimore, so the Yanks need to win if they are going to lower that number.

And last night Doug Marrone and the Syracuse Orange picked up their first season with a 37-34 win over Northwestern at the Carrier Dome.

Now, I've got a lot of work to do before the Giants-Cowboys game tonight, so enjoy the game. I'll be keeping one eye on the score and will post if something big happens.

UPDATE 5:04: Well Joba is apparently doing his best impersonation of a batting practice pitcher. It's a safe bet that this is the last update of the night.

Let's just hope the Giants can beat the crap out of Tony Romo and make me feel a little better.

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