Boston Red Sox (15-10) at New York Yankees (13-11), 7:05 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40) New York - Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00)
(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox pay their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium this evening, as they open a brief two-game series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
Boston, of course, swept a three-game set from the Yankees last weekend at Fenway Park. The Red Sox, though, have hit the skids since their 11-game win streak, dropping four of their last six games, including a 5-3 setback to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at Tropicana Field.
Kevin Youkilis had a pair of hits, including a two-run homer for Boston, while J.D. Drew turned in a three-hit effort with an RBI in defeat. The Red Sox dropped three of four in St. Petersburg and allowed Rays outfielder Carl Crawford to steal six bases.
David Ortiz was 0-for-3, is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and is still searching for his first home run of the season.
Brad Penny (2-1) took the loss, but pitched six effective innings, giving up three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Hoping to stop the bleeding tonight will be left-hander Jon Lester, who is 1-2 with a 5.40 earned run average. Lester has not received a decision in his two starts since his lone win back on April 19. He was awful on Wednesday in Cleveland, as the Indians reached him for five runs and seven hits in six innings, but Lester did not factor in the decision of his team's 6-5 win.
Lester gave up two runs in six innings to the Yankees back on April 24, but did not get a decision. Lifetime, he is 2-0 against them with a 3.34 ERA.
New York will counter with 22-year-old right-hander Phil Hughes, who was sensational in his season debut on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. Hughes nailed down his first win since the 2007 campaign, scattering two hits over six scoreless innings.
Big things were expected last season of Hughes, who at one time was the top pitching prospect in the Yankees' organization, but he battled injuries for most of 2008 and finished the year 0-4 with a 6.62 ERA in eight starts.
Hughes, filling the rotation spot of the struggling Chien-Ming Wang, lost his only other start to the Red Sox, who pounded him for seven runs (six earned) and six hits in just two innings last April.
The Yankees, who could have superstar Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup this week, have won four of their last five. The rubber match of their three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was postponed on Sunday because of rain.
Boston has won seven of its last 10 games against the Yankees.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Boston - Jon Lester (1-2, 5.40) New York - Phil Hughes (1-0, 0.00)
(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox pay their first visit to the new Yankee Stadium this evening, as they open a brief two-game series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
Boston, of course, swept a three-game set from the Yankees last weekend at Fenway Park. The Red Sox, though, have hit the skids since their 11-game win streak, dropping four of their last six games, including a 5-3 setback to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday at Tropicana Field.
Kevin Youkilis had a pair of hits, including a two-run homer for Boston, while J.D. Drew turned in a three-hit effort with an RBI in defeat. The Red Sox dropped three of four in St. Petersburg and allowed Rays outfielder Carl Crawford to steal six bases.
David Ortiz was 0-for-3, is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and is still searching for his first home run of the season.
Brad Penny (2-1) took the loss, but pitched six effective innings, giving up three runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and a pair of walks.
Hoping to stop the bleeding tonight will be left-hander Jon Lester, who is 1-2 with a 5.40 earned run average. Lester has not received a decision in his two starts since his lone win back on April 19. He was awful on Wednesday in Cleveland, as the Indians reached him for five runs and seven hits in six innings, but Lester did not factor in the decision of his team's 6-5 win.
Lester gave up two runs in six innings to the Yankees back on April 24, but did not get a decision. Lifetime, he is 2-0 against them with a 3.34 ERA.
New York will counter with 22-year-old right-hander Phil Hughes, who was sensational in his season debut on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. Hughes nailed down his first win since the 2007 campaign, scattering two hits over six scoreless innings.
Big things were expected last season of Hughes, who at one time was the top pitching prospect in the Yankees' organization, but he battled injuries for most of 2008 and finished the year 0-4 with a 6.62 ERA in eight starts.
Hughes, filling the rotation spot of the struggling Chien-Ming Wang, lost his only other start to the Red Sox, who pounded him for seven runs (six earned) and six hits in just two innings last April.
The Yankees, who could have superstar Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup this week, have won four of their last five. The rubber match of their three-game set with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim was postponed on Sunday because of rain.
Boston has won seven of its last 10 games against the Yankees.