Papelbon threw 28 pitches in a laborious ninth, but the bottom line is all that can matter right now. This team needed a win in the worse way, and to rally from five down on a miserable night in The Bronx is a great way to get it.
It's back home for two against Minnesota, starting Wednesday night.
Mid 9th, Red Sox 7-5: Jeremy Hermida does it again. After a huge error by Yankees right fielder Marcus Thames, Hermida doubles in two runs off Mariano Rivera with two outs in the ninth. Hermida has 14 RBIs in just 17 at bats with runners in scoring position and two outs. Jonathan Papelbon will try for the second straight night to protect a two-run lead.
Now, not to take anything away from Hermida, but Thames gave the Sox that opportunity. He dropped a pop to right with one out in the inning that put runners on first and second. A Dustin Pedroia grounder moved the runners up 90 feet and Hermida lined one over Randy Winn's head in left for the big blow.
The Sox were dead in the water just a few innings ago. As bad as things have gone of late, you have to admire their fight the last two nights.
End 8th, 5-5: It takes two pitches for Daniel Bard to do his job. He gets Mark Teixeira to pop to right and end the eighth.
Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera both faltered in the Yankees' loss to Minnesota on Sunday. The Red Sox are hoping for a similar result after Chamberlain lets them back in this one and now Rivera enters a tie game to start the ninth.
Mike Lowell is pinch hitting for the Red Sox, hours after wondering what his role is with the team.
11:31 p.m.: Daniel Bard has been called on to replace Hideki Okajima after the latter gives up a single and a walk with two outs in the eighth. Mark Teixeira is up for the Yankees, a superior hitter from the right side. Terry Francona makes the decision to turn him around.
Mid 8th, 5-5: Well, a lifeless team suddenly has life, thanks in large part to a completely ineffective Joba Chamberlain. After an error on Alex Rodriguez, the Sox rip four hits and score four times on Chamberlain, who has given up three runs in each of his last two outings. That's a lot of numbers, but the most important one out there is 5-5. The Sox have rallied for the second straight night.
J.D. Drew had an RBI double, Kevin Youkilis a two-run single and David Ortiz a run-scoring single off the wall in right.
Hideki Okajima is on in relief for Boston, and Jeremy Hermida is in right field. Not sure what happened to Drew running the bases.
End 7th, Yankees 5-1: As we expected when he walked off with the trainer a few innings ago, Josh Beckett was suffering from the back issues which caused him to miss his last start. It was just confirmed with an announcement that he left with "tightness in his lower back."
Ramon Ramirez gets through the seventh inning without a problem for the Red Sox.
Joba Chamberlain has come on for the Yankees.
And this place is dead.
Mid 7th, Yankees 5-1: The Sox are six outs from their second four-game losing streak of the season. With the loss they would fall to 4-7 on this stretch in which they play seven straight series against winning teams.
End 6th, Yankees 5-1: Manny Delcarmen has now walked 12 men in just 17 appearances this year after loading the bases on three free passes in the sixth. He escapes on a forceout at home and a pop to third by Mark Teixeira.
CC Sabathia starts the seventh having thrown 102 pitches.
Mid 6th, Yankees 5-1: There was a lot of fishiness with the Red Sox' pitching change in the fifth, and now the Yankees have filed a protest. Apparently the Sox never made a signal that Josh Beckett was hurt before the call to the bullpen, as is normally the protocol.
After all that confusion, which may end up being pretty insignificant, Kevin Youkilis hits his 100th career home run to get Boston on the board in the sixth.
End 5th, Yankees 5-0: Robinson Cano's two-run double was the big blow in the fifth, but there will be a bigger blow if we learn that Josh Beckett is hurt. He had thrown 101 pitches before he was removed with a trainer by his side. It may be nothing, but we'll keep an eye on it.
10:13 p.m.: The Yankees have broken it open with two more in the fifth and the trainer is out to walk Josh Beckett off to a torrent of boos. Not a comforting scene for the Red Sox, who just seem shrouded in a dark cloud right now.
Beckett was meeting with pitching coach John Farrell, but Farrell turned and made the call to the bullpen after Beckett told him something. Then, Terry Francona and the trainer came to the mound to get the righty.
We will give you updates on this situation when we hear them. For now, Manny Delcarmen is in with a runner on second and two outs.
Mid 5th, Yankees 3-0: Dustin Pedroia is an angry individual after being punched out by Angel Campos. It is Pedroia's second strikeout of the game and the fifth for CC Sabathia.
End 4th, Yankees 3-0: The Yankees now have the last three home runs since the Red Sox' five-homer barrage in Monday's game. Juan Miranda hits his first of the year and second of his career on a 2-0 delivery from Josh Beckett.
Beckett, who has five strikeouts, has pitched pretty well. The two hits he had allowed before Miranda's blast were not struck very hard.
The never-ending mist has intensified just a bit, but it's the wind that is the worst part of the night. It is blowing in hard from left.
Mid 4th, Yankees 2-0: David Ortiz works a leadoff walk but Adrian Beltre follows by hitting into a 6-4-3 double play, the 39th the Sox have hit into this year, tied for fourth in the American League.
End 3rd, Yankees 2-0: Josh Beckett works around a two-out walk in the third and we move to the fourth inning as the rain continues to fall.
I have to say, this place is huge and the amenities are great, but it is so distracting. The music and between-inning features on the monstrous screen are hard to ignore.
Mid 3rd, Yankees 2-0: One thing the Red Sox did early last night was wear out Phil Hughes with long at bats, even if the runs hadn't come in bunches yet. It eventually paid off, as they exploded for nine. They are doing the same here with CC Sabathia, who has thrown 61 pitches through three.
The Sox have drawn a pair of walks and have three hits, but five have been left on base already. Victor Martinez struck out on a 3-2 fastball to end the third with runners on first and second.
End 2nd, Yankees 2-0: E6. It's an ugly letter-number combination, and hurts Josh Beckett and the Red Sox in the second. Marco Scutaro rushed in an effort to start a potential double play and the ball glanced off his glove.
The misplay put runners on first and second with no outs. A grounder moved them up 90 feet and, after a walk loaded the bases, Juan Miranda bounded a ball into right field to score one.
A second run, also unearned, came in on Randy Winn's grounder to second. The Yanks squeezed all they could out of two soft hits, a walk and an error.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: As long as he keeps getting hits, we will keep updating David Ortiz's May numbers. After an opposite-field single in the second, he is now hitting .362 (17-for-47) this month.
Interesting to see Adrian Beltre argue for an appeal to first base after home plate umpire Angel Campos rung him up for the first out. Beltre was at the dish when Dale Scott neglected to appeal on a swing he easily checked last week at home, a play which resulted in manager Terry Francona being ejected.
Ortiz was stranded on the Beltre strikeout and two flyouts. The Sox have left three through two.
End 1st, 0-0: Compared to the last inning he had against the Yankees, Josh Beckett's first frame is spectacular. You will recall he completely lost command in the sixth inning at Fenway Park nearly two weeks ago, hitting a pair of batters and walking two more.
Beckett gets two groundouts and then freezes Mark Teixeira on a fastball on the inside corner for strike three.
Mid 1st, 0-0: The Red Sox make CC Sabathia work a bit in the first, but have nothing to show for it other than a couple of stranded runners. J.D. Drew singled with two outs and Kevin Youkilis followed with a walk, but Victor Martinez grounded to second.
I have to apologize in advance for any typos. The temperature is around 50, but the wind is whipping and my computer is actually getting wet from time to time, leaving my fingers rather cold. Raw conditions here in the Yankee Stadium press box.
8:02 p.m.: The Yankees made a minor move before the game, optioning outfielder Greg Colson to the minors and recalling reliever Mark Melancon. With Joe Girardi intent on staying away from Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain, New York's bullpen was rather depleted Monday night, and it showed. They'll have an extra arm to play with tonight, as well as the use of the big two at the back end.
7:59 p.m.: The lineup cards have been exchanged and the Yankees are on the field. About to play ball here.
7:35 p.m.: The tarp has been lifted and left in a heap in left field, and the work on the infield is underway. Terry Francona said earlier that he has no concerns about Josh Beckett pitching in tough conditions.
7:10 p.m.: The approximate start time for this game is now 8:00 p.m. The forecast calls for the rain to stop for a few hours so I guess that is the window we kept hearing about. It's still coming down pretty good here, but 8:00 is the goal. Don't count on it.
6:50 p.m.: So it's no surprise, but there will be a rain delay here. The rumor is that they have a window around 8:00 at which they hope to get things started, but there is no let-up right now. The tarp is a lake, the warning track a muddy mess and the wind is whipping the wet stuff into the faces of the six or so fans who are actually in their seats. Keep checking back for more updates.
6:08 p.m.: The words from Mike Lowell are the story of the day, but it's not the only thing that has been addressed. Terry Francona said that Victor Martinez and Daisuke Matsuzaka have met Tuesday to discuss any perceived issues between the two.
After Monday's rough outing for Dice-K, he was visibly frustrated, and Martinez implied that the partnership was not 50-50 when it came to calling pitches.
Francona said that starting Martinez with Josh Beckett on the mound for just the second time all year (first time since Opening Day) is not a signal that Jason Varitek will catch Matsuzaka in four days. It is simply a matter of sticking with a hot bat, Francona said.
Martinez hit two home runs Monday night.
Mike Cameron is back in Boston and had a good day of workouts, according to Francona. He will play another rehab game Wednesday. Jacoby Ellsbury is playing his second rehab game, this time with Double-A Portland, Tuesday night.
Back in a bit with more. The rain continues to come down in droves. I can't see how this game is played, but no words on a cancellation as of yet.
5:08 p.m.: Mike Lowell sounded off in the Red Sox clubhouse moments ago, wondering if he even has a role on this team and saying he has thought about a possible release form the team. When asked about it, manager Terry Francona said Lowell has not come to him about anything. We will have more on this in a separate piece in a bit, so keep your eyes peeled.
And yes, it's still raining rather hard.
3:36 p.m.: Before we head down to hear from Terry Francona, here is the Red Sox lineup:
Marco Scutaro SS
Dustin Pedroia 2B
J.D. Drew RF
Kevin Youkilis 1B
Victor Martinez C
David Ortiz DH
Adrian Beltre 3B
Bill Hall LF
Darnell McDonald CF
3:22 p.m.: Remember what I said about a light, steady rain falling? Well, I'm at the stadium now and "light" would not be appropriate to describe this mess. It is coming down rather hard, and has been for an hour or so.
The forecast seems to indicate that it might let up just a bit, but likely will not stop raining anytime soon. If this keeps up there at this pace there will be no baseball.
Updates to come.
The Sox play at New York in two more series later in the year, one of which has an off-day on the front end of it. So there are options in place if they need to call this one.
1:04 p.m.: There has been a light, but steady rain falling for hours and it is expected to continue into the night here in New York. Baseball could be played in what is coming down right now, but who knows what shape the field will be in in six hours. Check back for more updates.
8:11 a.m.: After Tuesday night's meeting in Yankee Stadium, the Red Sox and Yankees will not meet again until August. That's bad news for New York with the way this rivalry has gone of late.
The Yankees' 11-9 walk-off win Monday night against Boston gave the Bronx Bombers 14 wins in their last 17 meetings with the Red Sox. And it came in painful fashion for Boston, which rallied from an early five-run lead before watching closer Jonathan Papelbon surrender two two-run homers in the ninth.
Josh Beckett will return from a short layoff to rest a sore back when he starts for the Sox. It will be the third time this season Beckett has faced the Yankees. He has given up 14 runs in 10 innings against New York thus far.
CC Sabathia gets the nod for the Yankees, who are 13-3 at home.
First pitch is 7:05 p.m.
