Yankees 20-11, FINAL: As bad as this was — and this was very, very bad — the Red Sox still lead the Wild Card by one game. The hot, muggy sun will come out tomorrow. Promise.
End 8th, Yankees 16-7: It will be interesting to see what the Red Sox do with Penny, now that Wakefield and Daisuke Matsuzaka are close to returning. Would the Mets be interested in Penny to complete the Billy Wagner deal? We'll know the answer to that by Tuesday.
End 7th, Yankees 16-7: Another pretend rally for the Red Sox, who again load the bases with less than two outs, but fail to score. This game bears a lot of resemblence to the 13-6 game in New York: the last start for a struggling, former National League pitcher and a ton of LOBs for the Red Sox.
Mid 7th, Yankees 16-7: Just to make sure there's no funny business, the Yankees tack on another run, courtesy of a leadoff triple by A-Rod. 19-8 anyone?
End 6th, Yankees 15-7: The Red Sox gave everybody a tease in the sixth, scoring twice and loading the bases with nobody out, cutting the deficit to 15-6. Alex Gonzalez then followed up a bases-loaded walk by Brian Bruney by getting ahead 3-and-1, as visions of an epic comeback danced in Red Sox fans' heads. But AGon instead hit into a double play, scoring one run, but killing the vibe.
Mid 6th, Yankees 15-4: Derek Jeter was informed of Jim Rice's comments before the game, and don't think it didn't motivate him tonight. Jeter picks up his third hit of the game, driving in two runs as the rout continues.
End 5th, Yankees 12-4: Give the Red Sox a little credit: They're not quitting. Hopelessly behind in the fifth, the Sox put together a three-run rally. sparked by a two-run single by Jacoby Ellsbury. But Terry Francona has wisely raised the white flag, pulling starters Kevin Youkilis, Jason Bay and J.D. Drew from the game on a muggy night. Get 'em tomorrow.
Mid 5th, Yankees 12-1: A mock cheer rises from the ashes, as Bowden finally gets out of the inning, but not before allowing 4 of 6 runs in the inning, as the Yankess send 12 men to the plate. Any flickering hopes for catching the Yankees in the division are all but dead now.
9:01 p.m.: Down on the farm, Tim Wakefield pitched 5 2/3 innings for Pawtucket, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts. That probably means that Wakefield will start Wednesday for the Red Sox against the White Sox at Fenway.
It likely won't be Penny or Michael Bowden, who allowed a three-run homer to Matsui, the first batter Bowden faced, then an RBI double to Robinson Cano before getting his first out of the inning. It's 10-1 Yankees and they're threatening for more.
8:50 p.m.: Penny comes within inches of giving up a two-run homer to A-Rod, the ball hitting just below the red line atop the Monster. Still. it enough for Terry Francona, who summons Michael Bowden from the bullpen, first and third, nobody out.
End 4th, Yankees 6-1: Pettitte has retired eight in a row — though like Penny, a baserunner reached, only to be thrown out. Still, there's no sign of life from the optimum lineup tonight.
Mid 4th, Yankees 6-1: Penny has now retired seven in a row — although one of them reached on a strike three/passed ball in the third inning. Still, the bleeding has stopped for now, and if the offense can get cranking, there's still hope for a comeback tonight.
End 3rd, Yankees 6-1: When it rains, it pours. Dustin Pedroia doubles into the left field corner with two outs, the ball getting by Hinske and rolling back toward the infield. But Pedroia tried for an extra base and the hustling Jeter, looking every bit like a role model tonight, guns Pedroia down at third to end the inning.
Mid 3rd, Yankees 6-1: Penny finally pitches a scoreless inning, but the damage appears to be done, especially with Pettitte picking up where he left off two Sundays ago at the Stadium. Pettitte has allowed a run, but no hits, through the first two innings.
End 2nd, Yankees 6-1: Finally, something to cheer for at Fenway Park. The message board is welcoming back Jerry Remy, who is calling tonight's game for NESN and compared his return before the game to playing on Opening Day. Welcome back, RemDog!
Mid 2nd, Yankees 6-1: The Yankees ended one Red Sox pitching career two weeks ago. Are they finshing off another tonight?
Brad Penny is being dragged around Fenway like a chew toy, allowing six runs on eight hits and nearly giving up another run with Hideki Matsui's drive to right caught by J.D. Drew against the fence. Penny has allowed 25 runs in his past 24 2/3 innings and 31 over 34. Michael Bowden is warming in the pen and might be replacing Penny on a permanent basis.
End 1st, Yankees 2-1: Terry Francona often says that his favorite part of seeing players set records is when they do it within the context of winning games. Ellsbury's record-tying steal was exactly that. By reaching second with nobody out, Ellsbury was able to advance to third on one fly ball, then score from third on anothe by Victor Martinez to tie the score.
7:36 p.m.: Jacoby Ellsbury has caught Tommy Harper. Ellsbury, who walked to lead off the first, just stole his 54th base of the season, tying Harper's Red Sox single-season record. Ellsbury stole it off Andy Pettitte, the man whom Ellsbury stole home against in April.
7:30 p.m.: There's no Johnny Damon for Red Sox fans to kick around anymore. Damon fouled a ball off his lower leg Jermaine Dye-style in the first inning and has been replaced in left field by Eric Hinske.
Mid 1st, Yankees 2-0: Brad Penny has not been very shiny the past three weeks, allowing 19 earned runs over 22 2/3 innings in four starts before tonight. Make that 21 runs in 23 2/3 innings, after Jorge Posada singles with two outs and the bases loaded to give the Yankees a quick lead.
7:20 p.m.: NESN's own Jim Rice raised a lot of eyebrows around Fenway Park today with his comments down in Williamsport, Pa., telling the gathered Little Leaguers that players such as Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Derek Jeter are "bad examples" for today's youth to follow, citing grievances from personal grooming and appearance to contract size.
The eyebrow-raiser was the inclusion of Jeter, who has embodied the kind of ethic Rice champions throughout his Yankees career. Jeter opened tonight's game with a ground-rule double to right, leaving him just 24 hits behind Lou Gehrig for the all-time Yankees record.
6:45 p.m.: Jason Varitek remains out of the lineup for the fifth straight game because of a neck injury. But Terry Francona said before Friday's game that he expected Varitek to catch both Saturday and Sunday. The Red Sox are going with the same lineup as Thursday, which produced eight runs in Toronto.
The Sox also made two roster moves Friday, activating Rocco Baldelli from the 15-day DL and calling up right-hander Michael Bowden from Pawtucket to work out of the bullpen. Outfielder Brian Anderson was sent back to Pawtucket and pitcher Fernando Cabrera was designated for assignment.
3:15 p.m.: The Red Sox might not be undefeated against the Yankees for the season anymore, but they still have Fenway Park. The Yankees make their final of three visits starting tonight, and the Red Sox hope their perfect record at home last three more days, allowing them to still make a race of it in the AL East.
The Yankees have been nearly unstoppable for weeks now, their four-game sweep of the Sox in New York two weeks ago a microcosm of their post-All-Star break success: Great pitching, timely hitting and contributions from all over the lineup. Only in the last three days have the Red Sox found that formula, but if it can carry over this weekend, it could make the final six weeks much more interesting. It's Brad Penny tonight against Andy Pettitte, and the Sox are hoping for a repeat of Penny's outing against the Yankees in mid-June, back when the Sox were the unstoppable ones in this rivalry.
