New York Yankees (80-50) @ Boston Red Sox (82-51)
CC Sabathia (17-7, 2.99) @ John Lackey (12-9, 5.98)
4:10 PM EDT | Fenway Park (Boston, MA)
TV: NESN, MLBN RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
The baseball season is funny thing. On April first, the season seems infinite, stretching across the summer and into an autumn that feels forever away. And then suddenly it’s September. Suddenly your rivals are in town. Suddenly the fate of your division comes down to just a few series. Suddenly it’s over. Yes, the Yankees are in town, and yes, the American League East is on the line. But at least John Lackey is on the mound. He faces a tough match up, as he is opposed by the Yankee’s ace, the lofty left hander, CC Sabathia. Despite the fact that the Sox have owned Sabathia this year, just the thought of him being on the mound should be a cause for concern for any team facing him. Add the fact that John Lackey will be starting for the Sox, and there’s even more cause for concern. There’s a notion around baseball that Lackey is heating up. That makes sense, but he had an ERA in the high 6’s when he started “getting hot”. The fact of the matter is that Lackey has given up at least three runs in seven of his last eight starts. Sure, “he keeps you in games”, but in the American League East, you’re not looking to stay in games, you’re looking to win them. Lackey’s last start came in Texas. He gave up four runs over 6 2/3 innings of work, in a game the Sox won 11-5. Lackey struck out five and walked three.
The Yankees lead off the series with their ace, a slumping ace, but an ace nonetheless. After looking like a heavy (no pun intended) Cy Young canidate in July, Sabathia has regressed in August. His last was a 7 1/3 inning effort against the A’s. He gave up three runs while striking out seven. His struggles against Boston have been well documented this season, and many will present this fact if the Sox and Yankees eventually meet in the October tournament. Kevin Youkilis and J.D. Drew will both be rehabbing in the minor leagues tonight. Drew projects to be back by Thursday and Youkilis is eligible to return from the disabled list on Friday. Josh Reddick sits against the left-hander tonight, as Darnell McDonald takes his place in Right Field and bats ninth. While the Sox nurse a two game lead in the division, these next three games will be critical for both teams as they head into the final stretch.
Lineups
Boston
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Jed Lowrie, 3B
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
- Darnell McDonald, RF
Yankees
- Brett Gardener, LF
- Derek Jeter, SS
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Erik Chavez, 3B
- Jorge Posada, DH
- Francisco Cervelli, C
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Clay Buchholz, lower back strain (placed on 15-day DL June 19, retroactive to June 17); J.D. Drew, left shoulder impingement (placed on 15-day DL July 26, currently rehabbing); Bobby Jenks, strained back (placed on 15-day DL July 16); Kevin Youkilis, sore back (Placed on 15 day DL August 18, currently rehabbing)
New York: Alex Rodriguez, sprained left thumb (day-to-day); Pedro Feliciano, left shoulder soreness (scratched from a rehab start earlier this week)
Stats
-Sabathia has given up 18 earned runs in his last 28 1/3 innings of work. He h
-The Yankees have played three games since the last time the Sox played on Saturday night.
-Sabathia has a 7.20 ERA against Boston, and a 2.40 ERA against everyone else.
-Dustin Pedroia is batting .439 against the Yankees this year.
-The most important game is always the next one.