Boston sends Beckett to hill vs. Yankees
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Josh Beckett tries to keep the Boston Red Sox atop the game series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
The Yankees cut the deficit to just a half-game in Tuesday's opener, as CC Sabathia labored through six innings to get his 18th win of the year and finally beat the Red Sox in New York's 5-2 win.
The game also featured four hit batters and the ejection of New York manager Joe Girardi in the ninth inning for arguing after closer Mariano Rivera hit Jarrod Saltalamacchia with a pitch.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sabathia (18-7), who had been 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA in four previous starts against the Red Sox this year, allowed 10 hits, but also had 10 strikeouts.
"I was just trying to battle, make pitches," said Sabathia, who is unbeaten in his last three starts. "They put some good at-bats together and made me throw a lot of pitches, really early in the game and the whole game. I was just trying to make sure I got some length and help these guys."
The Yankees, who won their third in a row, are just 3-10 against the BoSox this year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Benches also cleared after Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli, who homered in the fifth, was hit in the back by a John Lackey pitch in the seventh inning. Cervelli had clapped his hands at home plate following the home run.
Lackey (12-10) was charged with seven hits and five runs -- four earned -- and departed after seven innings.
Boston, which lost for only the second time in its last seven games, had 13 hits, but went just 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position and stranded 16 baserunners.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tonight it will be Beckett, who has dominated the Yankees this year, going 3-0 with a 1.00 ERA in four starts against them. He won his second straight start last Wednesday in Texas, as he held the Rangers to a run and four hits in six innings to improve to 11-5 on the year to go along with a 2.43 ERA.
In 11 home starts this season Beckett is 4-1 with a 1.95 ERA.
New York, meanwhile, will rely on inconsistent right-hander Phil Hughes, who is 4-4 with a 6.46 ERA. Hughes was awful against Oakland on Thursday, as he lasted just 2 2/3 innings and was hit for six runs and seven hits. He escaped without a decision, though, as the Yankees went on to score 22 runs in the win.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hughes absorbed the loss in a relief outing against the Red Sox back on August 7 and is just 2-4 lifetime against them with a 6.25 ERA in 15 games (seven starts).
The Yankees are expected to once again be without third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who is nursing a thumb injury.
Also on the milestone front Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon is one save shy of becoming the first pitcher in history to record 30 or more saves in each of his first six major league seasons (2006-11).
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Papelbon has converted each of his last 24 chances since May 13, the longest stretch of his career and the second-longest save streak in the AL this year behind Detroit's Jose Valverde, who currently has a 39-save run.