Boston (77-55) at NY Yankees (70-62)

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bos

Sox try to depart Bronx with a sweep

Samantha Newman / MLB.com
The Red Sox already have a series win in what may likely be their final trip to Yankee Stadium. With a victory on Thursday, Boston could walk through the doors of the Cathedral for the last time and leave behind the stamp of a sweep.
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Red Sox probable pitcher

Jon Lester

  • #31 LHP
  • (12-5) 3.49 ERA 116 SO
Lester was hammered by the Blue Jays in his last start. The left-hander allowed seven runs on eight hits in just 2 1/3 innings, the shortest outing of his career as a starter. In addition, the seven runs he gave up tied a career high, which he set on Aug. 18, 2006, against the Yankees. Lester will look to rebound from the tough outing when he takes the mound at Yankee Stadium, in what could be Boston's final game at the historic venue. In three career starts against New York, Lester is 2-0 with a 4.12 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 23-7 4.04 314.1 127 226 .271
Season 12-5 3.49 170.0 53 116 .264
August 3-2 4.99 30.2 8 20 .274
Vs. NY Yankees 2-0 1.13 16.0 3 16 .241

Series at a Glance

Standings - 08/28/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Boston Red Sox (AL East) 77 55 .583 3.5 43-18 34-37
New York Yankees (AL East) 70 62 .530 10.5 38-29 32-33
Stats - 08/28/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
BOS .282 688 145 653 97 868 4.01 1174.2 1115 462 957
NYY .273 638 142 615 87 808 4.35 1176.0 1212 401 930
nyy

Yanks point to Mussina in must win

Samantha Newman / MLB.com
When the Yanks and Red Sox face off in the finale on Thursday, the final regular-season matchup between the two teams at Yankee Stadium, the Bombers will look to Mike Mussina to do something that New York starters have not been able to achieve in the first two games of the series -- complete five innings.
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Yankees probable pitcher

Mike Mussina

  • RHP
  • (16-7) 3.45 ERA 109 SO
Mussina had his best outing of the season against Baltimore in his last start. After going just two-thirds of an inning and then five innings in his two previous starts, Mussina was able to toss six innings allowing just four runs. He finished with a no-decision but was happy with his performance. In a pivotal series with the Red Sox, the Yankees will be hoping that Mussina can display the same dominance he showed in his last start against Boston, when he threw six innings and allowed four hits and no earned runs in a 2-1 victory.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 266-151 3.69 3521.2 775 2772 .255
Season 16-7 3.45 159.1 21 109 .280
August 3-0 3.00 33.0 4 24 .273
Vs. Boston 1-2 5.52 14.2 1 7 .333

Red Sox hitters vs Mike Mussina

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Brian - - - - .429 7 0 0
Bates, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Brown, Dusty - - - - - - - -
Drew, J.D. .333 6 0 0 .143 14 0 0
Ellsbury, Jacoby .500 6 0 0 .231 13 0 1
Hermida, Jeremy - - - - .000 3 0 0
Iglesias, Jose - - - - - - - -
Kotchman, Casey - - - - .222 9 0 0
Lowell, Mike .000 3 0 0 .500 18 3 6
Lowrie, Jed - - - - .200 5 0 0
Martinez, Victor .500 2 0 0 .143 21 0 3
Ortiz, David .000 5 0 0 .333 45 3 6
Pedroia, Dustin .625 8 0 1 .500 22 0 1
Reddick, Josh - - - - - - - -
Varitek, Jason .500 6 0 1 .238 42 1 4
Wagner, Mark - - - - - - - -
Youkilis, Kevin .333 6 0 0 .240 25 0 2

Yankees hitters vs Jon Lester

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Cabrera, Melky .500 6 0 0 .636 11 0 3
Cano, Robinson .333 6 0 0 .273 11 0 1
Cervelli, Francisco - - - - - - - -
Corona, Reegie - - - - .000 2 0 0
Gardner, Brett - - - - - - - -
Jackson, Austin - - - - .000 2 0 0
Jeter, Derek .286 7 0 1 .385 13 0 1
Miranda, Juan - - - - - - - -
Nunez, Eduardo - - - - .000 2 0 0
Pena, Ramiro - - - - .000 3 0 0
Posada, Jorge .000 3 0 0 .000 3 0 0
Rodriguez, Alex .143 7 0 0 .091 11 0 0
Russo, Kevin - - - - - - - -
Swisher, Nick .000 2 0 0 .167 6 1 2
Teixeira, Mark - - - - .000 3 0 0

Giambi's Ruthian save (77-56) (71-62)

Yankees 3, Red Sox 2

Sweep eludes Sox

Ian Browne / MLB.com
Boston had the lead going into the bottom of the seventh, but then Jason Giambi turned out to be a thorn in the Sox's side, producing all three runs to spoil Jon Lester's splendid start. The tough loss also prevented Boston from earning a sweep.

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Series at a Glance

 

Dramatic Yankees win

Bryan Hoch / MLB.com
In the final regular-season game between the Yanks and Sox at "The House That Ruth Built," Jason Giambi provided the heroics, delivering the game-winning hit in the ninth as well as blasting a game-tying two-run pinch-hit blast in the seventh.
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Yankees 3, Red Sox 2

BostonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Ellsbury, CF4001012.262
Pedroia, 2B4010010.317
Ortiz, DH2000211.265
Youkilis, 1B3000002.316
Bay, LF4000003.293
Kotsay, RF4010013.289
Lowrie, 3B4110012.295
Cora, SS3110002.269
Varitek, C3011011.225
Totals312522616 

BATTING
2B: Kotsay (18, Mussina).
TB: Pedroia; Kotsay 2; Lowrie; Cora; Varitek.
RBI: Varitek (37), Ellsbury (39).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cora 2; Kotsay 2; Ellsbury.
GIDP: Bay.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Cora (1, 2nd base off Mussina/Molina, J).
CS: Ellsbury (8, 2nd base by Mussina/Molina, J).
 
NY YankeesABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Damon, CF3000020.311
Jeter, SS4030000.297
Abreu, RF4010002.296
Rodriguez, A, 3B4000034.307
Nady, LF4010014.327
  1-Gardner, PR0100000.189
Cano, 2B4000001.266
Matsui, DH3000120.307
Ransom, 1B2110010.750
  Rodriguez, I, C0000100.280
Molina, J, C2000011.228
  a-Giambi, PH-1B2123000.251
Totals3238321012 

a-Homered for Molina, J in the 7th.
1-Ran for Nady in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Ransom (1, Lester).
HR: Giambi (27, 7th inning off Okajima, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Jeter 3; Abreu; Nady; Ransom 2; Giambi 5.
RBI: Giambi 3 (81).
2-out RBI: Giambi 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Nady 2.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Gardner (6, 2nd base off Masterson/Varitek).
CS: Jeter (4, 2nd base by Lester/Varitek).

FIELDING
E: Jeter (11, throw).
DP: (Cano-Ransom).
 
BostonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Lester 6.25110803.41
Okajima (BS, 8)1.01110112.89
Masterson (L, 4-4)0.21112103.30
Papelbon 0.01000001.71
 
NY YankeesIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Mussina 7.05222603.41
Bruney 0.10000002.35
Marte 0.10000004.24
Rivera (W, 5-5)1.10000001.50

IBB: Matsui (by Masterson).
HBP: Ransom (by Lester), Damon (by Lester), Cora (by Mussina), Youkilis (by Mussina).
Pitches-strikes: Lester 119-78, Okajima 16-11, Masterson 26-12, Papelbon 3-3, Mussina 113-73, Bruney 2-1, Marte 2-1, Rivera 15-10.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lester 3-8, Okajima 0-2, Masterson 0-1, Papelbon 0-0, Mussina 7-7, Bruney 0-1, Marte 1-0, Rivera 2-2.
Batters faced: Lester 26, Okajima 4, Masterson 5, Papelbon 1, Mussina 28, Bruney 1, Marte 1, Rivera 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Okajima 1-1, Papelbon 3-1.
Umpires: HP: Gary Cederstrom. 1B: Fieldin Culbreth. 2B: Jim Reynolds. 3B: Tim Timmons.
Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 10 mph, R to L.
T: 3:21.
Att: 55,092.
August 28, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner