Yanks and Red Sox Open Up Four-Game Series In The Bronx

The last time the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox squared-off, temper on both sides were running high after Ryan Dempster plunked Alex Rodriguez on his elbow with a fastball, leading to the ejections of manager Joe Girardi and Brett Gardner.

Rodriguez responded a couple innings later with a solo homerun off Dempster to open the 6th inning, leading the Yankees' comeback to defeat the Red Sox 9-6.

Since Dempster's beaning of A-Rod, the Yankees are 11-5, and are also coming off a three-game sweep of the last place Chicago White Sox, including Wednesday night's 6-5 victory, with Mariano Rivera closing out the game with a four-out save.

The Yankees enter this pivotal series against Boston, currently sitting 2.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card standings, and eight games back of the Red Sox in the standings. A sweep this weekend would put the Tanks right back in the AL East race.

"I think time is always good," Girardi said of any feeling still remaining between the two sides. "I think that obviously we know what's at stake, and we have to go out and play the games and win the games. That's the most important thing."

Tonight's Lineup vs Boston:

Gardner CF
Jeter SS
Cano 2B
Soriano LF
Granderson DH
Rodriguez 3B
Overbay 1B
Suzuki RF
Stewart C
Nova RHP

Pitching Preview:

To open up this important four-game set against the Red Sox, the Yankees are hoping to get off on the right foot, and to do so, they're sending out their ace of the past few weeks, Ivan Nova.

Nova is coming off possibly the best start of his career, when he tossed a complete-game shutout against the Baltimore Orioles last Saturday, giving up just three hits and one lone walk, while also striking out seven in the Yankees' 2-0 victory.

Nova has easily been the most reliable of all the Yankees' starters over the past few weeks, going 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his last six starts in August on his way to being named AL Pitcher of the Month for August. Over that span, He has pitched into the seventh inning in each of those, allowing three runs or fewer in all but one.

Boston will counter with one of their top pitchers, Jake Peavy, who was acquired by the Red Sox from the White Sox shortly before the July 31st trading deadline.

3-1 with a 3.18 ERA in six starts since his arrival with the Red Sox, but is also 0-4 lifetime against the Yankees with a 3.96 ERA. Peavy's last start was against his former club, the White Sox, and he picked up the win, tossing seven innings of two-run ball.

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