Jimenez has worst start of season but Rockies win on Giambi's walkoff HR

After losing 2-1 to the Rockies in the series opener on Tuesday night (the first meeting since the 2007 World Series), the Sox (43-30) looked poised to pick up a big win last night at Coors Field as they knocked around ace Ubaldo Jimenez for a season-high six earned runs.

A 6-5 lead in the ninth inning wasn't enough as closer Jonathan Papelbon (2-4) gave up a solo home run to tie it then a two-run walkoff homer by Jason Giambi aka the Giambino.

The Rockies (38-33) are a decent team but this was a bitter loss given the lack of his A stuff from Jimenez. He gave up six earned runs on 10 hits in 5.2 innings with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Once again, John Lackey was not good but he hung around. In 6.2 innings, he allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Colorado led 4-0 after three on Miguel Olivo's two-run homer in the second, Brad Hawpe's groundout in the third and Seth Smith's sacrifice fly.

Rookie sensation Daniel Nava cut that lead in half for the Sox with a two-run double in the fourth.

Jimenez helped his own cause with an RBI single in the fourth (Lackey also had two hits off Jimenez after being 1 for 31 in his career) to make it 5-2.

The Sox went ahead with four runs in the sixth inning on Nava's RBI double, Darnell McDonald's two-run homer and Scutaro's RBI single.

Victor Martinez had three hits in the loss and survived a scary collision at the plate where his arm got bent back at tried to prevent a run.

Dice-K opposes Jason Hammel tonight as Boston looks to avoid the sweep before taking off for San Francisco.

Yankees get a win to savor in October when they're sitting at home

After winning the first two games of the final regular season Yankees-Red Sox series at Yankee Stadium, Boston had a great chance to pick up the sweep yesterday afternoon. Jon Lester was dealing and his team had a 2-0 lead when he departed with two outs in the seventh.

Sadly, Hideki Okajima reverted back to his earlier season form: giving up a pinch-hit two-run homer to Jason Giambi. The Giambino added the game-winning hit in the ninth, a bases-loaded single off Jonathan Papelbon with one out.

It was still a very successful trip for the Sox (77-56). The road has been one of their biggest weaknesses this season but they won three series in a row. Boston now has 20 of its last 29 games at Fenway. They're 4.5 behind the Rays in the AL East but 2.5 games ahead of the Twins (who appear to be finally fading a bit).

At 10.5 games behind in the AL East and six games behind Boston in the Wild Card, to say the Yankees (71-62) are on life support is generous. Regardless, they came through with an exciting win for the home fans.

Jon Lester and Mike Mussina dueled for seven innings but neither factored in the decision. Lester stuck around for 6.2 innings, allowing one run on five hits with no walks and eight strikeouts. He left since his pitch count was up to 119.

Mussina went seven innings. He gave up two runs on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.

Boston got both of its runs in the fifth on a Jason Varitek RBI single and Jacoby Ellsbury's fielder's choice.

Giambi homered to deep center with two outs in the seventh and then delivered again in the ninth after Justin Masterson (4-4) had loaded the bases. Papelbon was up 0-2 on Giambi but he left a fastball over the middle of the plate.

Derek Jeter had three hits off Lester and Mariano Rivera (5-5) got the win after recording four outs.

The Red Sox had more bad news after the game as Josh Beckett was scratched once again from his scheduled start tonight. He's also going to visit Dr. James Andrews to check out his elbow which is never a good sign.

In addition, the first-place Chicago White Sox come to Fenway for three games beginning tonight. The slugging White Sox will probably hit about 15 homers over the course of the series.

Quit Playing with your Wang, It'll Make you go Blind

Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang (3-0) pitched a gem last night at Fenway as the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 4-1 in the teams first meeting of the season. Wang pitched a complete game, two-hitter, giving up an earned run with no walks and three strikeouts. He only needed 93 pitches to dispatch of Boston.

Red Sox (5-6) starter Clay Buchholz matched Wang for a while, going six innings and giving up four hits, one run (earned), three walks and three strikeouts.

The Yankees (6-5) opened the scoring in the fifth when Jose Molina doubled in Hideki Matsui. The Sox answered in the bottom of the inning when J.D. Drew hit a solo home run into the bullpen in right. It looked like Bobby Abreu was going to catch it but it ticked off his glove and into the bullpen to tie it up.

Mike Timlin (fresh from Pawtucket) made his season debut and it wasn't a good one. He gave up a solo shot to Jason Giambi in the seventh and Melky Cabrera added a sac fly. Timlin took the loss.

The Boston bats could never get anything going. They weren't able to get walks off Wang and they hit a bunch of fly ball outs (10). The only other hit was a bunt single (obviously) by Coco Crisp in the ninth. David Ortiz is officially in the worst slump of his career: he's 3 for 39 this season. Yikes.

The rivals get back at it this afternoon as Sox ace Josh Beckett takes the hill against Mike Mussina.