Boston @ New York preview
Yankee Stadium
Last Meeting ( Aug 6, 2010 ) Boston 6, NY Yankees 3
How the Boston Red Sox fare in this weekend's series against the New York Yankees will likely determine how general manager Theo Epstein addresses the team's needs for the rest of the season.
Will Epstein go after veterans in hopes of gaining a playoff spot? Or, will the Red Sox play out the string with what they have?
Those questions will be answered in the next three days.
Boston meets New York on Saturday afternoon in the second contest of a four-game set at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox won the opener, 6-3, on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Boston worked out veteran first baseman Carlos Delgado. The slugger has not played at all this season after undergoing hip surgery.
If the Red Sox are interested, Delgado could make for a fine platoon situation at first base with veteran Mike Lowell. Delgado auditioned for the team before Friday's game at Yankee Stadium, but the Red Sox had no official comment on the whether they would sign him.
Boston added struggling reliever Hideki Okajima to the long list of players on its disabled list. Okajima was listed with a strained right hamstring, but the move was perhaps mostly performance-related. Okajima is 4-3 on the season with a 5.85 ERA and WHIP just under 2.00.
Felix Doubront was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to take Okajima's spot. Doubront was 1-2 with a 4.11 ERA in three starts with the Red Sox. He has worked out of the bullpen in the minors lately.
Boston did receive some good news as Dustin Pedroia ran and took batting practice before Friday's game. There is no timetable set for his return, but Pedroia hopes to be back in the next two weeks. Pedroia has been the disabled list since June 26 with a broken foot.
John Lackey (10-6) makes the start for the Red Sox on Saturday. Lackey is 5-7 overall against the Yankees. He faced them once this season and came away with a no-decision after throwing six shutout innings. Lackey has won just one of his last six starts.
CC Sabathia (13-5) starts for the Yankees. Sabathia is 5-5 lifetime against the Red Sox and faced them once this season and, like Lackey, came away with no-decision.
Sabathia is 7-0 at Yankee Stadium this season with a 2.69 ERA.
Beginning with the weekend's four-game series against the Red Sox, the Yankees will play 42 of their final 55 games against teams with records currently above .500.
Boston made it two straight wins at New York for the first time since May 2009. New York has won 14 of the last 19 meetings between the two teams.
The Red Sox received a boost from rookie Ryan Kalish, who belted his first major league home run, a two-run shot in the sixth inning. The blast backed winning pitcher Clay Buchholz on Friday night.
Buchholz (11-5) allowed nine hits and three runs in 7 1/3 innings to pick up the victory.
Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth inning for his 27th save.
David Ortiz opened the scoring with a solo homer in the top of the first inning to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. The Yankees came right back with a two-run homer from Mark Teixeira in the bottom of the first.
Boston took a 4-2 lead in the second inning as Yankees starter Javier Vazquez walked three batters in the frame and catcher Francisco Cervelli dropped a pop up for an error.
Jacoby Ellsbury's bases-loaded walk scored one run and Marco Scutaro followed with a two-out, two-run double.
Vazquez (9-8) took the loss after allowing six runs - three earned - and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.