This is a new Yankee team, to say the least. Although the Yankees are 0-6 in Boston this season, they are a different squad since June 11, the date of their most recent loss at Fenway. Since that defeat, the Bronx Bombers have gone 42-19, stand in first place, are riding a hot streak and — worst of all for the Red Sox — are extremely confident.
"We don't want to go 0-fer Boston," slugger Mark Teixeira told The Associated Press. "Since the last series against them, we've been playing good baseball."
Teixeira has plenty of reason to be confident heading into the Fens. The first baseman, one of three prized Yankee pickups this offseason, smacked his 31st homer of the season Wednesday night which ties him for the most dingers among American League hitters. He is hitting .313 with five homers, seven RBIs and four doubles against the Red Sox this season.
The owners of a seven-game lead over the Sox in the AL East are licking their chops at that Green Monster and those bright white Red Sox unis. Not only did the Yankees sweep the Sox out of the Bronx just two weeks ago, manager Joe Girardi's crew are winners of seven of their last nine games.
"This time going into Boston, we're in a lot better shape than we were any other time," Girardi said. "It's another big series. You have a chance of doing something special again. The real thing is wanting to win another series, not win another game there."
After a crucial day off on Thursday (while Boston wrapped up a three-game sweep in Toronto), the Yankees have a fierce threesome of Cy Young-caliber pitchers set to go in the weekend series, two of which are aimed at a fading veteran and an unproven rookie. Andy Pettitte (16-9, 3.63 ERA against Boston in his career) takes on Brad Penny (7-7, 5.22 ERA in 2009) on Friday before A.J. Burnett (5-1, 3.39 ERA in 11 career starts against Boston) battles rookie Junichi Tazawa. Josh Beckett and CC Sabathia — who has won his last four starts — meet in a battle of 14-game winners to close the series Sunday night.
"It’s going to be an absolute battle all three games," Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher said of the Fenway series. "It’s going to be fun. They’re a good team. We’re a good team. It’s at their place, and they want to send a message."
Whether the Yanks can turn the tables on Boston at Fenway this time around will play itself out over the muggy New England weekend. Regardless of this outcome, the squads will get one more crack at each other in late September, when the Sox invade the Stadium for a highly anticipated three-game battle.
