Boston Red Sox (35-26) @ New York Yankees (33-26)
Josh Beckett (4-2, 2.01) @ CC Sabathia (7-3, 2.80)
7:05 PM EDT | Yankee Stadium (Bronx, N.Y.)
TV: NESN, YES, MLB Network RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Bobby Jenks, left back tightness (Placed on the 15-day DL June 8); Rich Hill, left elbow sprain (Placed on the 15-day DL on June 3, retroactive to June 2) Franklin Morales, left forearm strain (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 29, retroactive to May 26); Darnell McDonald, sore left quad (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 26); Daisuke Matsuzaka, sprained elbow (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 17, transferred to the 60-day DL on June 3); Junichi Tazawa, right elbow surgery (placed on the 60-day DL on March 26)
New York: Joba Chamberlain, strained flexor muscle (Placed on the 15-day DL on June 8); Rafael Soriano, right elbow inflammation (Placed on the 15-day DL on May 17, retroactive to May 14); Eric Chavez, fractured fifth metatarsal in left foot (Placed on 15-day DL on May 6); Phil Hughes, right shoulder inflammation (Placed on 15-day DL on April 15, transferred to 60-day DL on May 25); Colin Curtis, dislocated right shoulder (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Reegie Corona, fractured right elbow (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Damaso Marte, left shoulder labrum inflammation (Placed on 60-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22); Pedro Feliciano, left rotator cuff strain (Placed on 15-day DL on March 30, retroactive to March 22, transferred to 60-day DL on April 15)
GAME NOTES
Last night’s 11-6 Red Sox victory against the Yankees was tempered by post-game news that Dustin Pedroia was returning to Boston for an arthroscopic examination of his right knee. Pedroia said that he injured his knee on May 16 on a play during which he fell on his knee fielding a ball. If the doctors find damage during the examination an operation will be performed immediately, which could keep Pedroia out of the Red Sox lineup for approximately a month. Additionally, the Red Sox placed Bobby Jenks on the 15-day DL with a back injury. Rich Hill will undergo Tommy John surgery today and Daisuke Matsizaka will have the procedure tomorrow. The bad medical news is balanced by the Red Sox’ current five-game winning streak, the retaking of first place in the American League East, gaining the best record in the American League, as well as the opportunity to sweep their second away series against the Yankees.
Taking the mound for the Yankees is CC Sabathia (who lost his periods in 2008). Sabathia will be making his third start of the year against the Red Sox (as well as having Josh Beckett be his mound counterpart for the third time). CC lost his previous two starts against the Red Sox but had won four times in seven starts against the Red Sox before this recent slide. Sabathia has won each of his last four starts in which the Yankees were in danger of being swept. Red Sox players who have had success against Sabathia are Mike Cameron (.421, 8-19), Kevin Youlikis (.370, 10-27 with one home run) and Marco Scutaro (.345, 10-29). Notice a trend? Right-handed batters can have success against CC.
Toeing the rubber for the Red Sox is Josh Beckett. Beckett has been stellar against the Yankees this season; he is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 14 innings pitched against the Bombers. Josh has not allowed a home run in seven consecutive starts, which is the second-longest such streak of his career. Beckett leads the American league in ERA (2.01) and is second in the AL in batting average against (.189). Several Yankees have had career success against Beckett. Robinson Cano, (.323, 20-62, three home runs), Derek Jeter (.292, 21-72, two home runs), Alex Rodriguez (.271, 16-59, three home runs) and Nick Swisher (.270, 10-37, three home runs) are the Yankees to watch out for tonight.
Lineups
Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Marco Scutaro, 2B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Kevin Youkilis, 3B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Jed Lowrie, SS
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Mike Cameron, RF
- Jason Varitek, C
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New York
- Derek Jeter, SS
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Jorge Posada, DH
- Brett Gardner, LF
- Francisco Cervelli, C
Fun Facts
– With last night’s win, the Red Sox lead the major leagues with their fourth winning streak of at least five games. No other team has more than two such streaks.
– According to the Elias Sports Bureau, last night was the first time (in four possible attempts) that the Bruins won a Stanley Cup Final game and the Red Sox defeated the Yankees on the same day.
– On June 9, 1949, Ted Williams hit his historic 502-foot blast that struck Seat 21 in Row 37 of Section 42 at Fenway Park. The Red Sox commemorated the blast by painting that seat red.
– And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: Teddy Ballgame’s historic blast actually traveled 575 feet, but hit the tiny head of a 17-year old Ted Kennedy, who was sitting in Row 46 of Section 42. The ball then ricocheted to Seat 21 of Row 37. The next day, the Kennedy family noticed that Ted’s head started growing larger.