Boston Red Sox (88-70) @ New York Yankees (97-61)
John Lackey (12-12, 6.49) @ Ivan Nova (16-4, 3.62)
6:35 PM EDT | Yankee Stadium (Bronx, NY)
TV: NESN, YES, MLB Network RADIO: WEEI 850, WWZN 1510
GAME NOTES
A half-game. A freakin’ half-game lead in the Wild Card. The slowest car crash in history continues.
John Lackey gets the ball for the Sox in the nightcap. If there was one game where the Sox needed a good performance from Lackey, it is this one. In his last appearance Lackey got a no decision, going 4.1 innings and surrendering eight runs on 11 hits and two walks with three strikeouts in the 18-9 Sox victory over the Orioles. Lackey last faced the Yankees on August 30, taking the loss.
Rookie Ivan Nova takes the mound for the Yankees tonight. Nova’s last loss was on June 3 against the Angels. Since that game, Nova is 12-0 with 3 no-decisions, tying the longest winning streak for a rookie Yankee pitcher. Nova has held opponents to two runs or less in 10 of his last 15 appearances. Just shoot me now.
Lineups
Boston Red Sox
- Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
- Carl Crawford, LF
- Dustin Pedroia, 2B
- David Ortiz, DH
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Jed Lowrie, 3B
- J.D. Drew, RF
- Marco Scutaro, SS
- Jason Varitek, C
New York Yankees
- Eduardo Nunez, SS
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Eric Chavez, 3B
- Jesus Montero, DH
- Chris Dickerson, RF
- Austin Romine, C
INJURY REPORT
Boston: Clay Buchholz, lower back strain (placed on 15-day DL June 19, retroactive to June 17); Kevin Youkilis, left hip bursitis and sports hernia (day-to-day)
New York: Francisco Cervelli, concussion symptoms (placed on 15-day DL September 13, retroactive to September 9); Phil Hughes, back spasms (day-to-day)
Need tickets to see the Boston Red Sox? Visit Coast to Coast Tickets!
Fun Facts
– With two home runs in the opening game, Jacoby Ellsbury became the first Red Sox player to hit at least 30 HRs and 30 SBs in one season. Welcome to the 30/30 Club, Jacoby!
– On September 25, 1929, during the fifth inning of a game between the Red Sox and Yankees at Fenway Park, all the players from both teams were summoned to home plate. The players were told that a telegram had arrived announcing the death of Yankee manager Miller Huggins. A moment of silence was observed and the flag in center field was lowered to half staff.
– And for today’s Totally Untrue Fun Fact: In a radical operation performed when he was just a baby, Alex Rodriguez was turned from a centaur into a human being. Doctors and ethicists still debate the success of the procedure.