Soriano Smash, Reynolds Foils Bosox

The Yankees front office overruled GM Brian Cashman when Alfonso Soriano could be had from the Chicago Cubs for a young pitcher at this year's trade deadline. For a time it was a decent trade with Soriano providing much needed help against left-handed pitchers. For the last four games it has been an incredible trade.

The 37-year old has made like the Incredible Hulk and smashed baseballs and pitcher's egos at an alarming rate. The Boston Red Sox and starter Felix Doubront became the latest victims in the Yankees 10-3 win Friday night.

After he hit four home runs and drove in 13 runs in back to back games against the Los Angels, Banner Soriano had four hits and a one ribbie in the finale against the Halos. The Hulk was back for the opener of a three game series in Fenway Park. Soriano gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single and then broke open a 3-0 game with a 3-run home run in the 3rd inning.

It gave the left fielder 18 RBI in his last four games over which he has gone 13-18 (.722) Fellow Yankees Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Tony Lazzeri, and Jim Bottomley and Sammy Sosa are the only other players that have driven in 18 runs in four games. The hot streak has given Soriano a 1.021 OPS in 19 games since his acquisition.

Soriano wasn't the only right-handed hitter to do damage last night. Mark Reynolds, who hadn't hit a home run in his last 68 at-bats before his release by Cleveland, found the top of the Green Monster in his first at-bat as a Yankee. It turned a 1-0 game into a 3-0 game and the rout was on. Reynolds, who also drove in a run with a single in the 9th, became the 22nd different Yankee to a hit home run this year. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it tied the franchise record set by the 1965 and 2000 Yankees teams.

Andy Pettitte earned his 8th win with his best game in months. It would have been even better if Joe Girardi hadn't left him in the game too long. He allowed three unearned runs - Eduardo Nunez with yet another error on his resume - in 6.1 innings pitched. Pettitte scattered six hits, walked one, and struck out five.

Doubront had dominated the Yankees the prior two times he faced them this season, but was charged with six earned runs in just four innings of work.

Alex Rodriguez was booed as expected with an accompaniment of "You do steroids" chant. Needless to say it was hypocritical coming from fans that saw their team win two World Series with failed drug test veterans Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. A-Rod hit the ball sharply all night and reached base safely with two hits and a walk.

To make room on the roster for Reynolds, the Yankees demoted Preston Claiborne from the 25-man roster and designated Luis Cruz for assignment from the 40-man roster.

Mariano Rivera was prepared to enter the game in the 9th until the Yankees scored three times in the final frame. He had to get up in the pen again though when the Red Sox loaded the bases against Joba Chamberlain with two outs in the bottom of the 9th. David Huff made it unnecessary when he got Jacoby Ellsbury to ground out to Robinson Cano to end the game.

Alfonso Soriano's Beat Down of the Angels

Yankees fans who watched Alfonso Soriano embark on a promising career his first time around with the team hoped to see some of the same excitement when the 37-yr old return at this year's trade deadline. Soriano obliged on Tuesday and Wednesday when he knocked in a ridiculous 13 RBI in two games vs. the Los Angeles Angels.

In Tuesday night's 14-7 Yankees win, Soriano hit a 2-run home run in the 5th inning, added an RBI single, and then iced the cake with a 3-run blast in the 7th. The six RBI were a career high for the native of the Dominican Republic. That career high lasted all  of one day.

Wednesday's 9-3 shellacking of Jered Weaver and the Angels saw Soriano reach a new height. It began with a grand slam in the bottom of the first after Weaver had retired the first two batters he faced. But the first hit of Robinson Cano's 4-4 night, a double by Alex Rodriguez and a walk to Curtis Granderson walk set the stage for the left fielder.

He added a 2-run double an inning later and led off the 5th inning with a solo home run. He was a combined 6-9 with four home runs, a double, and even a walk in the last two games of the four games series. (Concludes with a 1:05 PM EDT start on Thursday.) The hot streak pumped up Soriano's Yankees' OPS to .858 and his slugging to .606 since his return on August 2.

The grand salami was the fifth of Soriano's career and landed in Monument Park. It was his first bases loaded whack with the Yankees since he hit a pair in the 2003 season. The 13 RBI in two consecutive games are the second highest total in franchise history. Hall of Fame second baseman Tony Lazzeri had 15 RBI with an American League record 11 in one game.

Ivan Nova appreciated some run support for a change on a night he didn't have his best stuff. He still managed to go 7.1 innings and lowered his ERA to 2.99 to go along with a 6-4 record. He's allowed 11 earned runs over 52.1 innings in his last seven starts (1.90 ERA) and is, in effect, the Yankees number two starter right now.

A-Rod finished the night 1-4 and is 8-31 with a slash line of .258/.343/.419. He's hit one home run, driven in four runs, and scored three, and has been pretty solid defensively. The mixed response from the crowd has been no different so far and will be nothing compared to what A-Rod will experience this weekend in Boston.

Derek Jeter took part in some drills on Wednesday and will fly down to Tampa today (Thursday) to continue his rehab from a calf injury. He's eligibile, but won't be activated for the Red Sox series.