New York @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2011 ) NY Yankees 5, Boston 2

THE STORY: After ace CC Sabathia got the Green Monster off his back in Tuesday’s series opener, Phil Hughes will look to continue the momentum when he takes the mound for the New York Yankees in the second of a three-game series against the host Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night at Fenway Park. Although it was hardly a vintage performance, Sabathia ended an ugly four-game losing streak to Boston this season. Now Hughes has a chance to move New York into first place in the American League East, but has a daunting matchup against Boston Red Sox righthander Josh Beckett.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ESPN, NESN (Boston), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Phil Hughes (4-6, 6.46 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Josh Beckett (11-5, 2.43).

Hughes had turned in three consecutive stellar starts before he was rocked for six runs in 2 2/3 innings against Oakland last time out. That was reminiscent of an early start-time outing at Fenway Park, when he surrendered six runs in two innings against Boston. In 15 career appearances (seven starts), he is 2-4 with a 6.25 ERA against the Red Sox. David Ortiz is 7-for-15 with a homer and five RBIs against him. Beckett has dominated New York this season, going 3-0 in four starts and allowing a total of three runs over 27 innings in that span. Boston is second in the majors (to the Yankees) in runs scored, but that hasn't helped Beckett. The Red Sox have scored more than four runs in only five of his 25 starts. He has allowed homers in nine straight games, not a good sign against a club that leads the majors in that category.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (82-52): Having two days off because of Hurricane Irene may have taken the edge off Boston’s offense Tuesday. Although the Red Sox put up 13 hits, they stranded 16 runners. Adrian Gonzalez, who leads the majors with a .342 mark, went 0-for-5 and struck out three times to drop his batting average to its lowest point since July 19. Ortiz extended his hitting streak to 13 games. He is batting .520 (26-for-50) with six homers and 14 RBIs in that span. Jed Lowrie has hit safely in nine of 10 games (14-for-40, .350) after collecting three hits Tuesday.

ABOUT THE YANKEES (81-52): While New York’s big boppers were quiet, the bottom of the order provided some timely production. Eric Chavez, subbing for an ailing Alex Rodriguez, had a pair of RBI singles and Francisco Cervelli continued to torment the Red Sox with a solo homer. Nick Swisher added three hits and Robinson Cano had his third straight two-hit game, giving him hits in 20 of his last 21 games. Derek Jeter returned from a two-game absence because of a bruised knee and went 0-for-5. The news wasn’t as good for Rodriguez, who received a cortisone shot in his thumb and is expected to miss the remainder of the series.

FINAL PITCH: The benches emptied Tuesday when Lackey hit Cervelli with a pitch to lead off the seventh. Cervelli is 7-for-13 against the Red Sox this season and is batting .422 (19-for-45) against them for his career. It was Lackey’s major league-leading 17th hit batsman. New York joined the Red Sox as the only teams in baseball with 40 road wins.