NYY 4, BOS 2 – Sox Lose Early Lead as Yanks Complete Sweep

The Yankees completed their three-game sweep of the Red Sox on Sunday by virtue of a 4-2 victory in the Bronx.

The Sox got off to a quick start, striking first in the opening frame, and extending their lead to 2-0 in the third. The Yanks posted the next four runs, however, including home runs by Mark Teixeira (38) and Melky Cabrera (13).

Paul Byrd was the hard luck loser in today's match, throwing 5.2 innings before being chased in the sixth after two two-out singles. Takashi Saito came in for relief, but provided little, as he allowed both inherited runners to score on a Hideki Matsui single...

NYY 3, BOS 0 – Sabathia Unhittable, Sox Fall

On Saturday night, the Sox-Yanks rivalry added another thrilling match to their dossier.

The game was hotly contested for the first seven innings. The game was scoreless through 5 ½, before the Yankees broke through in the sixth on a Robinson Cano homer to left : NYY 1, BOS 0.

The Yankees added two more on a bloop single with two-outs in the eighth. Wagner placed a fastball on the inside corner, but Damon got just enough on it to bloop it over Pedroia's head.

NYY 9, BOS 3 – Sox Lose More Than Lester

Friday was a night where the Red Sox had a great chance to send their division rivals a message. Instead, they stumbled from the get-go, falling behind 5-0 before they broke the shutout (and no-hitter) in the fourth.

The game was shaky from the beginning, as the Sox were retired in order in the first. Lester looked sharp for the first two innings; particularly in the first when Mark Teixeira chased an outside pitch for a strikeout. Still, the Yanks were able to plate a run on a stolen base and two singles.

The game was quiet through the second inning but, it was all down hill from there.

The Yankees were able to tack on four runs in the third, an inning that also saw Lester leave the game after a Melky Cabrera liner caught him in the leg.

BOS 10, KC 3 – Clay Delivers, KC Flops… Again

Red Sox 10 - Kansas City 3

Apparently, playing spoiler isn't as fun as the media makes it out to be. You get burned more often than you succeed.

With little more than a week left in the season, the Royals look to put the finishing touches on another disappointing campaign.

KC has played admirably in the last few days, though tonight they were clearly overmatched by a young fireballer at the top of his game. In the end, the Royals got their scheduled paychecks, while the Sox got additional restitution for Tuesday's loss and draw one step closer to the Wild Card.

The DH Rules

A designated hitter is paid to hit - only to hit. There's no fielding involved, no strain from the day-to-day grind, and mobility is not much of an issue.

With fielding requirements thrown out the window, there is an endless sea of candidates to fill the role, meaning the batting standards are much higher at the "position".

Since the National League forces its pitchers to bat during the regular season, NL teams cannot afford to hire an elite hitter to sit on the bench. As a result, the AL has a significant advantage when playing at their home parks.

So, with a struggling DH, will the Red Sox still enjoy their home field advantage should they make the World Series?

Injuries Among the Contenders

There is nothing that can derail a team quicker than a slew of injuries in October. The Sox have seen their fair share of injuries lately, though the M.A.S.H. unit has had some success returning the boys to action.

But they are not the only team in the hunt, as the Yankees, Twins, Angels, and Tigers all have their own bumps, bruises, and breaks to deal with. And no, we are not including Texas anymore, as their playoff odds have now dropped below half of one percent. The only race left is between Detroit and Minnesota for the AL Central.

Here's a rundown of the significant injuries on each team:

BOS 9, KC 2: Do Unto Others…

Just one night after Paul Byrd dropped five runs in the first frame against the Kansas City Royals, KC found out what it was like to watch an entire game slip away in one inning. Behind a six run fifth inning, the Boston Red Sox gave the Royals one such beat down, taking their first win of the series off of KC, 9-2, last night. The win was their 90th of the season, and brought the magic number in the Wild Card Race down to five.

KC 5, BOS 1: Byrd Gets His Wings Clipped In First

A five run first inning by the Kansas City Royals did the Red Sox in last night, as the boys from Boston drop the second game of a four game series, 5-1.

Paul Byrd shook off the missteps of the first inning and went on to throw 6.2 innings, but the damage was already done, as Zack Greinke held off the Boston bats with another dominating performance.

Lester’s Case for the Cy Young

The Cy Young Award campaigns are getting real heated this time of year. The baseball media has zeroed in on four prime candidates: Zack Greinke, C.C. Sabathia, Justin Verlander, and Felix Hernadez.

Each of these pitchers has a great resume, but Jon Lester has had quite the season. Where does he stack up against the competition?

ERA

1) Zack Greinke - 2.14 - 1st in AL
2) Felix Hernandez - 2.45 - 2nd in AL
3) C.C. Sabathia - 3.31 - 6th in AL
4) Jon Lester - 3.33 - 7th in AL
5) Justin Verlander - 3.44 - 9th in AL

Injuries, Blessings, and Manny Not Being Manny

A Pair of Injuries

On Monday, Junichi Tazawa was placed on the 60-day disabled list due to what has been described as a mild groin strain.

While the groin gives the Sox a formal reason to DL Tazawa, the pitcher had reportedly reached his innings limit, according to the Red Sox official web site. The move also helps make room for Chris Woodward.

The infielder will fill in for Nick Green, who is dealing with a back issue that has manifested as dead leg.