Red Sox continue to own the Yankees this season

I'm not going to assume that they'll keep this pace up but I'll simply state facts: the Boston Red Sox are now 6-1 vs. the New York Yankees this season after their 6-4 win at Yankee Stadium last night.

The win, in the series opener, is also Boston's (34-26) 11th in its last 14 against New York (33-25) going back to last season and it pulled the two teams into a deadlock atop the AL East.

Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon was the focus before the game since MLB handed down a three-game suspension to him for bumping an umpire in Saturday's marathon win. Of course he appealed, so he was in the bullpen last night and survived a rocky ninth (27 pitches, 1 earned run, 1 hit, 1 walk) for his 12th save of the season.

The save was extra special since it was the 200th of Papelbon's career and he did it in the shortest amount of time in MLB history (359 appearances). Yankees icon Mariano Rivera held the record with 200 saves in 382 games.

As required by law, the game was played at a snail's pace thanks to Freddy Garcia being himself and Jon Lester (8-2) continuing to scuffle.

Garcia (4-5) had nothing, leading Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy to speculate maybe he has a dead arm, and the Red Sox teed off. He lasted only 1.2 innings, allowing four earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.

Lester was fighting himself and his control all night. He hit two batters in the first, including Yankees star Mark Teixeira who left with after getting plunked on the knee. Lester lasted six innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Boston put up three runs in the first, led by Jacoby Ellsbury's leadoff homer (his seventh of the season). Adrian Gonzalez drove in Dustin Pedroia with an RBI triple and Kevin Youkilis plated Gonzalez with a sacrifice fly.

Robinson Cano knocked in Curtis Granderson in the home half of the first with an RBI single.

Pedroia made it 4-1 with an RBI double in the second.

David Ortiz hit a two-run bomb (his 14th of the season) in the fifth off rookie Hector Noesi. It wouldn't be Red Sox-Yankees without some sort of fake controversy and Big Papi provided some fuel to the media's unwashed masses as he flipped his bat after the shot. I have no problem with that or if anyone else on any other team does it. Baseball has too many unwritten dumb rules. The game needs more personality, not less.

Nick Swisher cut it to 6-3 with a two-run double in the fifth. Jorge Posada (3 hits), who came in for Teixeira, had an RBI single in the ninth.

Tonight's pitching matchup features two complete wild cards: Tim Wakefield goes for the Red Sox against A.J. Burnett of the Yankees. All I know is that once the clock turns to 8, I'll be watching the Stanley Cup Finals (Bruins vs. Canucks, Game 4). I'll only turn back to the baseball game during commercial breaks and intermission.

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Time to pull the plug on old man Smoltz

A wise man once said, "you can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit." Don't the Red Sox know that right now as John Smoltz at this point in his hallowed, Hall of Fame career is basically chicken shit every fifth day.

In game one of a pivotal four game set in the new Yankee Stadium, Smoltz got rocked and the Yankees (66-42) rolled 13-6.

Staked to a 3-1 lead, Smoltz couldn't hold it as he and PawSox call-up Billy Traber (who I had never heard of before yesterday) gave up an eight-spot to the Bombers.

Smoltz's final line: 3.1 innings, eight earned runs, nine hits, four walks, three strikeouts. The question now: will that be his last start for the Red Sox (and his career)? Maybe he could be used for an inning or two out of the bullpen but at the moment, the Sox (62-45) desperately need starting pitching, like Kate Hudson (A-Rod's main squeeze) needs a boob job.

With the loss, Boston fell 3.5 games behind New York while also ensuring that even if they win the remaining three games this weekend, they'll still occupy second place.

The ironic thing was that last night Joba Chamberlain (8-2) was not on his game but he looked like Tim Lincecum next to Smoltz's batting practice stuff. Joba lasted only five innings, giving up four earned runs on six hits with a career-high seven walks and five strikeouts.

Dustin Pedroia (3 hits, 2 RBIs, walk) hit a solo shot to right in the third as the Red Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead.

Johnny Damon (3 hits, 3 runs) answered with a solo shot to the same cheap spot in right, to tie it in the bottom of the third.

Casey Kotchman made the most of his first start for Boston as he cranked a two-run bomb to the exact same place in the fourth, giving Boston a 3-1 lead.

In the huge fourth, Melky Cabrera (2 hits) and Jorge Posada (3 hits, 2 runs) both crushed three-run homers.

Mike Lowell (2 hits) made it 9-4 with an RBI single in the fifth but New York added single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh including another bomb, a solo job by Mark Teixeira (3 hits, 2 runs) in the seventh.

The Red Sox scored two in the ninth for yucks.

Clearly, Josh Beckett needs to play his usual role of stopper tonight as he opposes former Marlins teammate A.J. Burnett. The Red Sox' season is spinning out of control and it needs something positive.

The Yankees can't buy a win against the Red Sox

It's a special time to be a Red Sox fan. With last night's exciting 6-5 win over the Yankees in the books, Boston improved to 7-0 against New York this season. After each win, all you can wonder is how much longer will this dominance last?

Red Sox (35-24) starter Tim Wakefield is 8-3 after six innings of work. He gave up three runs on eight hits, with three walks and two strikeouts.

For the second straight night, the Yankees (34-25) starter couldn't get out of the third inning. Chien-Ming Wang (0-4) is completely useless these days. He allowed four runs on six hits, with three walks and three strikeouts.

Jason Bay got the Sox on the board first with an RBI single in the first inning.

Jorge Posada (2 hits) tied it in the second with a solo homer.

Boston jumped ahead 3-1 in the home half of the second after George Kottaras' (2 hits) RBI double and Dustin Pedroia's RBI ground-rule double that was misplayed by Yankees right fielder Nick Swisher.

Mike Lowell hit a solo shot just over the Monster in the third.

Melly Cabrera cut it to 4-2 with an RBI single in the fourth before Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run shot.

New York chipped away at the lead as Robinson Cano brought home a run in the fifth with a ground out while Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira (4 hits) hit back-to-back solo homers in the seventh off Sox reliever Ramon Ramirez.

No worries though as Hideki Okajima got a hold, with four important outs (including three strikeouts) and Jonathan Papelbon recorded his 15th save.

Boston looks for the sweep tonight as Brad Penny (who will likely be dealt soon with John Smoltz and Clay Buchholz knocking at the door) takes on C.C. Sabathia.

The Opposite of a Pitcher's Duel

After staging a pitcher's duel just five days earlier, Clay Buchholz and Chien-Ming Wang served up nothing but batting practice last night at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees hammered the Red Sox, 15-9.

Buchholz went 3.2 innings, giving up eight hits, seven runs (all earned), one walk and two strikeouts.

Wang went four innings, giving up nine hits, eight runs (all earned), three walks and two strikeouts. Yankees middle reliever LaTroy Hawkins earned the win as he threw two scoreless innings which on this night was analogous to a classy girl in the porn industry. Brian Bruney added the save.

Boston (9-7) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after Manny Ramirez hit a laser RBI double. New York (9-7) answered in the bottom of the inning when Bobby Abreu (two-run) and A-Rod hit back-to-back homers.

Down 7-3 after four, the Red Sox jumped ahead with six in the fifth to go up 9-7. You wouldn't expect Julian Tavarez to hold a precarious lead like that in the Bronx and true to form, Freddie Kruger (1.1 innings, 3 hits, 4 runs-3 earned, 2 walks, 1 strikeout) was a nightmare as he took the loss.

The Yankees stepped on the Red Sox' throat with four in the eighth. Mike Timlin gave up four runs on three hits in the ugly frame.

For the game, Boston pounded out 14 hits which was slightly trumped by New York's 16. Manny and J.D. Drew had three hits while Dustin Pedroia and Sean Casey had two apiece.

Yankees backup backup catcher Chad Moeller led the way with three hits. Derek Jeter, Jason Giambi, A-Rod, Hideki Matsui and Posada each had two hits. Jacoby Ellsbury was the only starter on either team to not record a hit.

Josh Beckett opposes Mike Mussina tonight in the finale of this two-game set. Relievers for both teams must be praying for deep outings.