With John Lackey giving up five runs over seven innings on Tuesday and Josh Beckett allowing five runs over seven on Wednesday, the pressure was on the relievers to keep things close in the series opener and maintain a lead the following night.
That they did.
Matt Albers cleaned up Franklin Morales' mess on Tuesdsay, pitching himself out of the eighth inning. Alfredo Aceves followed with a perfect ninth.
On Wednesday, Daniel Bard needed just 13 pitches to blow away the Yankees in the top of the eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon, needed just seven pitches to retire all three batters in the ninth, two by way of strikeout.
Of course, the week's not over yet, as Jon Lester takes the ball for the series finale on Thursday night and Andrew Miller gets the call for Friday night's series opener with Texas.