Game 38: Yankees vs. Red Sox

Yankees (24-13)

Derek Jeter SS
Brett Gardner CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Francisco Cervelli C
Marcus Thames RF
Randy Winn LF
Ramiro Pena 3B

RHP Phil Hughes

Red Sox (19-19)
Marco Scutaro SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Victor Martinez C
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
Jeremy Hermida LF
Darnell McDonald CF
RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka

Ace on the Mound: Phil Hughes takes the mound tonight with a 5-0 record. The last person his age to start a season 5-0 for the Yankees was some guy Whitey Ford. If I remember correctly, that guy had a pretty solid career.

Tough Week: The Yankees welcome the Red Sox to the Stadium for two games, before having to face the Rays for two more. But at least then they get a break by getting to play the Mets. Take the survey to the right to voice your opinion about which series you're most pumped about.

We'll be on our Twitters: @jgeant and @jphealy.

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Yankees Annihilate Sox...Again

NYY 14 17 0

BOS 3 8 1


WP: Aceves (3-0)
LP: Buchholz (3-3)

Players of theGame: Francisco Cervelli. Cervelli has been tremendous while Posada has been sidelined. He had 3 hits and 5 RBI today, the most RBI against the Red Sox by a Yankee catcher since Lawrence Yogi Berra had 7 on July 3, 1957.


As I type this Mark Teixeira just hit his third home run of the game. So I'll add him too. His three home runs are the first by a Yankee since A-Rod against the Angels in 2005, and the first by a Yankee against the Red Sox since Lou Gehrig, who was the only Yankee to do it against them until today.


Play of the Game: CC Sabathia hitting Pedroia in the butt. Despite giving up a go-ahead home run right after he hit him, everyone knew it was in response to Josh Beckett's wild night. Don't get me started with Dumb and Dumber in the FOX booth today, but Sabathia is protecting his players. Beckett blatantly threw at Cervelli, almost injured Cano, and Jeter, well, that was out of frustration. Bottom line, you can't be throwing as hard as you can and praying it's a strike. That's how players get hurt, and if you're going to do that, watch out cause one of yours is going to get hit too.
Turning Point of the Game: Mark Teixeira's first home run. Tex's homer gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead and that was all they needed today as they manhandled the Red Sox.


Notes:

The Yankees have outscored Boston 24-6 in these first two games.

Alfredo Aceves is the latest to catch the injury bug. He left the game with a leg or back issue in the sixth. These injuries are getting absurd, but this is their sixth win in a row, so it ain't all that bad.

The game went into a rain dealy with 2 outs in the bottom of the fifth and CC Sabathia had a 2-2 count on Martinez. Now I know it was raining cats and dogs, but Sabathia could have gotten one more pitch in to try and make it an official game. Because of the delay Sabathia was shortchanged a win since he only went 4 2/3 innings.

Tomorrow

Yankees @ Red Sox 8:05 p.m. Fenway Park

Burnett (4-0) vs Lester (2-2)

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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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Bullpen Blues

First game, first loss, first chance to second guess what went wrong. It's also our first post game recap of the 2010 season.

NYY 7 12 1
BOS 9 12 0

WP: Okajima (1-0)
LP: Park (0-1)
S: Papelbum (1)

Player of the Game: Kevin Youkillis. The third baseman went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and 3 runs scored. He brought the Red Sox back into the game when things looked bleak with a two-run triple (on a poor route to the ball by Nick Swisher). He also scored the runs to tie the game at 5 and take the lead 8-7.

Play of the Game: Dustin Pedroia's two-run home run in the seventh inning. It was just simply a clutch hit by Pedroia.

Turning Point: Top of the sixth inning. After this inning the momentum swung completely in the Red Sox favor. Sabathia was starting to get rattled and the Red Sox chipped their way back into the game. David Robertson couldn't hold the lead at the end of the inning as Adrian Beltre knocked in Youkillis to tie the game at 5.

Thoughts:
This one was on the bullpen. After the game was tied at 5-5 and both starters out of the game, it came down to whose bullpen was going to be most effective. Robertson couldn't hold the lead when he came in, Chan Ho Park was a complete disaster, Damaso Marte threw a wild pitch and crossed up with Posada which led to the go-ahead run, and Joba Chamberlain allowed an insurance run.

Brett Gardner also made some horrendous throws in left field. It actually made me wish Johnny Damon was throwing the ball in. Overall, it's only the first game, but these are some things that the Yankees will have to keep an eye on.

On a positive note, the offense is there. Jorge Posada is defying his age as he went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI and a home run. Curtis Granderson homered in his first at bat in his Yankee debut, so he immediately became a fan favorite.

As Jim wrote on facebook or twitter: the Yankees started off just like last year, now let's see if they finish just like last year.

The Yankees are off tomorrow but square off against Boston Tuesday at 7 p.m. as A.J. Burnett takes the mound against John Lester.

EDIT: Posada said that the passed ball 'was not a cross up.' I guess Marte is just that wild.

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Yankees find Peace of Mind against Boston

Red Sox 6 8 1
Yankees 13 18 0

WP: Chamberlain (8-2)
LP: Smoltz (2-5)

PLAYER OF THE GAME: It's too hard to pick just one guy, so I'm just giving it to the entire lineup. They pounded out 18 hits and four home runs on their way to scoring 13 runs.

PLAY OF THE GAME: The Jeterian play by Robbie Cano in the top of the eighth inning on a ground ball to short right-center field by David Ortiz.

TURNING POINT OF THE GAME: I'm going out on a limb here, but I think the turning point was the 8-run 4th inning. After Casey Kotchman homered in the top of the 4th to give Boston a 3-1 lead, the Yankees scored 8 runs on 8 hits, including 2 home runs.

GAME NOTES:

• The Yankees pitching staff allowed 12 walks. That is horrible. 7 of them were from Joba, and he only pitched 5 innings.
  
• While Joba did not pitch well, I'm not worried. He's been pitching very well lately, but he isn't going to dominate every time out.
  
• Now, the Yankees are 3.5 games ahead of the Red Sox and because the Rays were idle, Tampa Bay falls to 6 games behind.
• In case you had turned the game off by that point, Dustin Pedroia was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the 8th. He decided to be dramatic about it, despite the fact he's shorter than me (and I'm pretty short) by barking at Mark Melancon. So, with Beckett and Burnett on the mound tomorrow, don't be surprised if there are some fireworks.
  
• Now that they finally got the first win against the Red Sox out of the way, the Yankees can just worry about beating up on them all time.
  

TOMORROW:
Round 2
Red Sox at Yankees
Beckett vs. Burnett

SEE YA!

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