Yankees visit Fenway for three HUGE games.

True enough, whenever the Yankees and Red Sox get together the games are huge. Never more so than the three game series that begins tonight at Fenway.

Entering this series, the Red Sox own an 8-4 advantage vs. New York this season. But those last four losses, a four game series sweep by the Yankees in New York earlier this month, were devastating losses.

That sweep is a large reason why the Red Sox find themselves in second place, 6 1/2 games behind New York in the standings, entering this series. That the Red Sox need to return the favor and sweep this series is a no-brainer if they want any shot at the AL East title in 2009. Even so a Sox sweep still would have them 3 1/2 games behind. Perish the thought, but if the Yanks sweep the Red Sox this weekend, they'd be 9 1/2 games out and the division race would be over for the Sox.

I've been reading articles around here lately that say the Sox need to focus on the Wild Card and forget about catching the Yankees. I say that's a load of crap. It's a defeatist attitude and is not helpful. Until the Red Sox are mathematically eliminated from wining the division I say they should focus on both the division and Wild Card.

But how do they do that?

As the much vilified Al Davis always says, "Just win, baby." Just play good ball and win as many games as possible and see what happens in the end.

The Red Sox do seem to be on a roll, sweeping the Blue Jays in Toronto the last three days, including an impressive win over ace Roy Halliday.

In any case, these next three games will be fun. Good drama as always, I'm sure.


Here are the pitching match ups for the series, beginning tonight:


Friday, Aug 21^st: New York 20, at Boston 11
Pettitte (9-6) v. Penny (7-7)
WP=Pettitte (10-6), LP=Penny (7-8)
20 runs in a game most allowed by Red Sox since 2000.


Saturday, Aug 22^nd: at Boston 14, New York 1
Burnett (10-6) v. Tazawa (1-2)
WP=Tazawa (2-2), LP=Burnett (10-7)
One good beating deserves an even bigger one - this time by the Sox.

Sunday, Aug 23^rd: New York 8, at Boston 4
Sabathia (14-7) v. Beckett (14-4)
WP=Sabathia (15-7), LP=Beckett (14-5)
Beckett allows career high five homers as Sox fall.


As always, this post will be updated after each game with the results and link to the recap and box score.

The last regular season series of the year will be Sept 25-27 at Yankee Stadium.