When and Where
7:05 p.m. ET (NESN), Aug. 21, 2009
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.
Records
Red Sox (69-51, 2nd place in AL East)
Yankees (76-45, 1st place in AL East)
Skinny
After sweeping the Jays in Toronto for the first time since May 2007, the Sox return home to Fenway, where they have the second-best home record in the AL at 38-18. The Sox will need every bit of their home-field advantage to avenge a four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees in the Bronx two weeks ago. The Yanks join the Angels as one of just two AL teams with a winning record on the road.
Starting Lineups
| Yankees |
Red Sox |
| Derek Jeter, SS | Jacoby Ellsbury, CF |
| Johnny Damon, LF | Dustin Pedroia, 2B |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | Victor Martinez, C |
| Alex Rodriguez, 3B | Kevin Youkilis, 1B |
| Hideki Matsui, DH | Jason Bay, LF |
| Jorge Posada, C | David Ortiz, DH |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | Mike Lowell, 3B |
| Nick Swisher, RF | J.D. Drew, RF |
| Melky Cabrera, CF | Alex Gonzalez, SS |
Pitching Matchup
RHP Brad Penny (7-7, 5.22 ERA) vs. LHP Andy Pettitte (9-6, 4.09 ERA)
Penny took the loss in his last start on Aug. 15 in Texas, allowing four runs on eight hits with four walks with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Penny has not been able to complete seven full innings this season and has recorded 6 1/3 innings just once since May 20. In 23 starts, he has 11 quality starts.
This is Penny's second starts against the Yankees in 2009 and the third of his career. On June 11, he pitched six scoreless innings at Fenway but did not get a decision as the Sox won 4-3. In his two career starts versus New York, he has a record of 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA, giving up a combined three earned runs in 11 innings.
Pettitte is making his 25th start of the season and his 35th career appearance (33rd start) against the Red Sox. He has a career record of 16-9 (3.63) against the Sox. With this start, he will tie Mike Mussina for the second-most starts against the Sox in team history in the expansion era, trailing just Mel Stottlemyre's 46. The Yanks are 20-12 in Pettitte's starts against the Sox, while his 16 wins against the Sox tie him with Randy Johnson for most among active pitchers. His 3.63 ERA is fourth among 36 active pitchers with 10 or more starts against the Sox. In his last start at Fenway on April 26, Pettitte took the loss, going six innings and allowing four runs on six hits with four walks and six K's.
In his last outing on Aug. 15 against the Mariners, Pettitte gave up two runs on six hits in six innings. He got five of his last six outs on strikeouts en route to a season-high 10 strikeouts on the night. Since the All-Star break, he is 1-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six starts.
Stat Sheet
Red Sox
Victor Martinez hit his 20th home run of the season on Thursday against the Blue Jays, becoming the fourth American Leaguer to hit 20 homers in a season while playing at least 50 games at both catcher and first base. He joins Gene Tenace (1974-76), Mickey Tettleton (1993) and Gus Triandos (1956).
Martinez, who went 1-for-5 on Thursday, snapped his streak of four games with multiple hits. Since joining the Sox, he is hitting .324 (24-for-74).
The Sox have two or more home runs in each of their last six games, in nine of their last 10 and in 15 of their last 19 since July 31. In that span, they lead the majors with 36 total homers.
Jon Lester tied Josh Beckett on Thursday with 17 quality starts, the most on the staff. Tim Wakefield and Brad Penny are next with 11 each.
The Sox are hitting .333 (98-for-294) against Pettitte with a .333 on-base percentage, .493 slugging percentage, eight home runs, 45 RBIs, 34 walks and 63 strikeouts.
Jason Varitek has faced Pettitte the most, going 17-for-55 (.309) with two home runs, seven RBIs, eight walks and 16 strikeouts.
Jason Bay is hitting .444 (12-for-27) with a triple, a home run, three RBIs, four walks and eight strikeouts against Pettitte.
Jacoby Ellsbury — who stole home off Pettitte on April 26 with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning — is hitting .417 (5-for-12) against him with four RBIs, a walk and two strikeouts.
David Ortiz, who is hitting .234 with six home runs and 26 RBIs against lefties this season, is batting .370 (12-for-32) with six doubles, a home run, nine RBIs, four walks and 11 strikeouts against Pettitte.
Jonathan Papelbon is one save shy of becoming just the second major league pitcher to record 30 or more saves in his first four full seasons, joining Billy Koch (1999-2002).
The Sox have used a total of 48 players this season, passing last year’s total of 47. It is the most since the team used 53 in 2006.
Yankees
The Yankees are 28-19 against the AL East, 4-8 against the Sox.
The Yankees are 48-14 when they score first, 27-31 when their opponent scores first.
Mark Teixeira (31) and Nick Swisher (20) are the fourth pair of Yankees teammates over the last 50 years to each hit at least 20 home runs in their first season in pinstripes, joining Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield (2004), Jason Giambi and Robin Ventura (2002), and Kevin Maas and Jesse Barfield (1990).
Derek Jeter leads all shortstops all-time with 2,680 career hits, followed by Luis Aparicio (2,673) and Omar Vizquel.
With 14 wins this season, CC Sabathia leads all pitchers who signed as free agents this offseason, followed by Jason Marquis (13), Derek Lowe (12), and A.J. Burnett, Braden Looper and Carl Pavano (tied with 10).
The Yankees are hitting .228 (13-for-57) with a home run, two RBIs, five walks and 12 strikeouts against Penny.
Mark Teixeira has faced Penny the most, going 0-for-9 with three strikeouts.
Derek Jeter is batting .500 in a very small sample size (3-for-6) against Penny with a strikeout.
Jose Molina (1-for-5) has the Yanks' lone home run off Penny.
Jeter (237), Rodriguez (214) and Johnny Damon (196, tied with Ichiro Suzuki) lead all batters with three-hit games since 1996.
The Yankees have never blown a division lead of more than six games. The largest division lead ever blown by the Yankees was a six-game lead in 1933 after 44 games. The Yankees finished that season at 91-59, in second place, seven games behind Washington.
Black and Blue
Red Sox
Right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka was placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to June 20) with a mild right shoulder strain. He is scheduled to pitch a bullpen session in Ft. Myers on Friday. He could start a rehab program with the Sea Dogs on Aug. 29.
Right-hander Tim Wakefield was placed on the 15-day DL (retroactive to July 18) with a lower back strain. He is expected to make another rehab start for the PawSox on Friday.
First baseman/outfielder Jeff Bailey was placed on the 15-day DL (retroactive to July 5) with a left ankle sprain. He began a rehab assignment with the PawSox on Aug. 3.
Catcher George Kottaras is on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain. He is on a rehab stint with the PawSox but did not play on Thursday. He is expected to play on Friday.
Outfielder Rocco Baldelli was placed on the 15-day DL Aug. 6 with a left ankle contusion. He could be activated Friday.
Shortstop Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day DL (retroactive to Aug. 7) with ulnar neuritis of the left wrist.
For the third consecutive game, catcher Jason Varitek was out of the starting lineup on Thursday with muscle spasms in his neck.
Yankees
Outfielder Xavier Nady is on the 60-day DL with an ulnar collateral ligament injury in his left elbow.
Left-hander Damaso Marte is on the 60-day DL with left shoulder inflammation.
Right-hander Chien-Ming Wang is on the 60-day DL with a right shoulder strain.
Outfielder Brett Gardner is on the 15-day DL with a fractured left thumb.
This Date in Red Sox History
On Aug. 21, 1986, Spike Owen becomes the first player in 40 years to score six runs in a game as the Sox beat the Indians 24-5.
Overheard
“He’s not going to hurt himself by pitching. I mean, anybody can be hurt any time. But he’s not endangering himself by pitching. He’s not endangering his potential recovery of leg strength by waiting until October if — if — a surgical procedure is needed. And again, these are big ifs.”
— Red Sox manager Terry Francona on the decision to have pitcher Tim Wakefield make a rehab start with the PawSox on Friday
Press Box
Red Sox
The Sox swept the Jays and cut a half-game off the Yankees’ lead.
Dustin Pedroia returned to the lineup after the birth of his first child.
Wakefield and Dice-K will get tested Friday.
John Smoltz understands why they Sox gave up on him.
Yankees
Mark Teixeira led the way in the Yankees' latest win.
Joba Chamberlain expects to get six more starts.
The Yankees aren’t paying attention to the standings.
MLB
A look at five contenders with closer issues.
The Mets denied Gary Sheffield’s release request.
Are the Braves returning to their pitching glory days?
Outlook
After Lester’s eight innings on Thursday in Toronto, Boston's bullpen is rested. With Penny on the mound, that's bound to be a good thing: Penny has averaged less than 5 2/3 innings in his last eight starts. The offense began to heat up north of the border. Jacoby Ellsbury needs one stolen base to tie Tommy Harper for the team’s single-season record of 54 steals. But, it is unlikely Pettitte will allow Ellsbury to set the record by stealing home again.
