Rubber Game
Boston, MA – The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees traded blowout victories to start their weekend series at Fenway Park, but Sunday night’s pitching matchup has the look of a more tense affair.
Aces CC Sabathia and Josh Beckett will square off to decide the archrivals’ first series of the season that won’t end in a sweep.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Red Sox -110 moneyline favorites for Sunday’s game against the Yankees. Current MLB Public Betting Information shows that 57% of more than 122 bets for this game have been placed on the Red Sox -110.
After Boston won the first eight games between the teams this season, the Yankees (77-46) won the next five, starting with a four-game sweep in the Bronx from Aug. 6-9. Overall, New York is 26-9 since the All-Star break to seize a 6 1/2-game division lead over the Red Sox.
The Yankees’ streak against Boston continued with a wild 20-11 victory Friday night, but the Red Sox (70-52) turned things around with a 14-1 win Saturday.
"Whatever happened, nobody can change that," said Boston designated hitter David Ortiz, who has a homer, two doubles and five RBIs in this series. "You’ve just got to come the next day with a fresh mind and play the game. Simple. You’ve got to keep it simple."
The Red Sox have pounded out 25 runs and 27 hits in two games to start a 10-game homestand, and Kevin Youkilis homered twice to lead the charge Saturday. They set a team record with their eighth consecutive multihomer game.
Boston’s offense was silent in the sweep at New York earlier this month, going scoreless in 31 consecutive innings at one point, but it has been a different story at Fenway, where the Red Sox are 39-19.
Rookie Junichi Tazawa held the Yankees off the scoreboard for six innings Saturday, a day after New York’s potent lineup notched a season high in runs, led by seven RBIs by Hideki Matsui.
"I think it was just the law of averages," New York’s Mark Teixeira said. "We hit so well with runners on base (Friday). We hit a lot of balls well (Saturday) and they just didn’t fall in."
Runs will likely be at more of a premium Sunday, as each club’s ace will have a chance to become the first 15-game winner in the majors.
"I would be shocked to see a 15-10 game," Teixeira said.
Sabathia (14-7, 3.58 ERA), looking to win his fifth consecutive start, lost his initial outing in this rivalry June 11 at Fenway but rebounded with a brilliant effort against the Red Sox on Aug. 8, allowing two hits and striking out nine in 7 2-3 innings of a 5-0 win.
"CC was dominant," Boston’s Dustin Pedroia said. "Everyone knows how good he is."
Beckett (14-4, 3.38) turned in a similar effort against the Yankees the previous night, but it was wasted in the Red Sox’s 2-0, 15-inning loss. In his last two starts against New York, Beckett has thrown 13 shutout innings, allowing five hits.
He’s hoping to rebound from his worst start in more than two months, as he gave up seven runs and three homers at Toronto on Tuesday, although the Red Sox won 10-9. He had been 7-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his previous 10 outings.
Sabathia, meanwhile, has been dominant in his last three starts, giving up three runs and 10 hits in 23 2-3 innings with 26 strikeouts.
The last time Beckett and Sabathia started against each other was Game 5 of the 2007 AL championship series. With a chance to clinch the series for Cleveland, Sabathia struggled while Beckett struck out 11 in eight dominant innings of a 7-1 win, beginning Boston’s comeback to win the pennant.
Johnny Damon has homered twice off Beckett this season and expects to return to the Yankees lineup after sitting out Saturday due to a bruised knee.
Posted: 8/23/09 6:00AM ET
