Friday, August 16, 2013

Alex Rodriguez may be eating up all the storylines off the field for the ongoing Biogenesis scandal heading into this weekend series against the Boston Red Sox, but on the field, the headlines are all about Yankees-Red Sox rivalry getting ready to crank up again.

The Yankees failed to come away with a sweep of this Angels this past week, falling to Anaheim in the series finale on Thursday, 8-4. Overall, the Yankees have won five of their last seven games, and the offense, lead by the red-hot Alfonso Soriano, is starting to heat up once again.

Entering this series, the Yankees are nine games back of the Red Sox in the American League East, and are six games back of the second wild card berth. No matter what way you look at things, this series in Boston can only break the Yankees season -- losses push them back, wins keep them in the race.

Joining the team today in Boston is newly signed first baseman Mark Reynolds, who the Yankees signed last night after Reynolds was released by the Cleveland Indians on Monday.

Tonight's Lineup, 7:10 EST @ Fenway Park:

Gardner CF
Nunez SS
Cano 2B
Soriano LF
Rodriguez 3B
Wells DH
Suzuki RF
Reynolds 1B
Stewart C
Pettitte LHP

Pitching Preview:

At the age of 41, Andy Pettitte has made 41 career appearances against the Boston Red Sox, and Friday night's opener will be No. 42. With a 19-11 record and a 3.87 ERA in those 41 appearances, tonight's outing is hopeful to be another good outing.

Although his starts against the Red Sox have usually fared well, Pettitte's last few outings against the rest of the league haven't gone his way, with him coming off two straight outings in which he wasn't able to complete five innings.

His last starts was against the Tigers on Sunday, and while he one gave up one run, he was lifted from the game in the 5th inning, having thrown 101 pitches.

Pettitte will be going up against fellow left-hander Felix Doubront, who, like Pettitte, didn't last very long in his last outing, tossing just four innings, while walking four on 98 pitches against the Kansas City Royals.

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