CC's Boston Beatdown

Putting everything else aside (his prior starts against Boston) and his red hot streak, I expected CC Sabathia to limit Boston's offense yesterday. Nothing was further from the truth. Sabathia, who is is 16-2, 2.11 vs. other AL opponents, was thumped by the Red Sox for seven runs in six innings. The Red Sox won 10-4 to move back into a first place tie in the AL East with the series finale pitting Freddy Garcia against Josh Beckett tonight. The win also snapped the Yankees' eight game winning streak.

Sabathia's record against Boston is now 0-4, 7.20. It's that record that will likely keep him from winning the AL Cy Young Award no matter how he finishes the season. But individual awards are the last thing on the mind of Sabathia, Joe Girardi, or the Yankees fans. They know that to get to the World Series they will, in all likelihood, have to beat Boston in the ALCS. (assuming both teams win win their division series.)

Opponents are hitting .238 vs. Sabathia this season, but the Red Sox are hitting well over .300 with four Boston batters in particular having done major damage to the lefty this season.

Carl Crawford (5-13) .385, .846 OPS
Jacoby Ellsbury (4-8) .500, 1.545 OPS, 1 HR 7 RBI (six of which came on Saturday)
Adrian Gonzalez (4-13) .308 1 HR 4 RBI
Dustin Pedroia (6-10) .600, 1.336 OPS

To make matters worse, Sabathia has walked 10 Red Sox in 25 innings, by far his worst walks per nine innings of any team. The Red Sox have enough good/great hitters without a pitcher giving them free passes. Needless to say he's going to have to change his approach against them in the future.

Yesterday's game was so typical of a Yankees - Red Sox game at Fenway on a Saturday. Boston pitcher throws mediocre to decent outing (John Lackey 6 IP 3 ER), Yankees starter gets clobbered and Boston scores in double figures. The only missing was a rain delay.

One guy who loves facing Boston pitching is Francisco Cervelli. The Cisco Kid was 3-4 on Saturday and is now 18-42 (.429) lifetime against the Red Sox with 12 RBI in 13 games.

Curtis Granderson scored his league leading 100th run as part of a two run fourth inning that briefly tied the game at two apiece.

Ellsbury's career high six RBI included a back breaking 3-run HR in the 4th inning.