Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees Game 3 Preview
If you’re a fan of pitching-dominated games, then the first two games of the Red Sox-Yankees series in Boston have not been your cup of tea.
The first two games have seen no shortage of fireworks on both sides, as the two teams combined for 46 runs, 31 extra-base hits, and 62 total hits. The first two games have also seen two routs, as New York pounded Boston from the outset in a 20-11 win on Friday night, only to see Boston retaliate in a big way with a 14-1 thrashing yesterday.
But with each team’s ace on the hill in tonight’s series finale, we might be in store for far less fireworks at the plate. Boston’s Josh Beckett and New York’s CC Sabathia both come in looking to become the first pitcher in the majors to reach 15 wins this season, and if both bring their best stuff tonight, the pitching fiends could finally have a reason to tune into this series.
Beckett was shelled in his last start at Toronto, allowing seven runs in 5.1 innings, but at Fenway this season, he’s a perfect 8-0 in 11 starts. His worst showing of the season came at home against the Yankees (5 IP, 10 hits, 8 runs), but since then, he’s posted a 1.38 ERA in his last eight home starts, including six, one-hit, shutout innings in his last home start against the Yankees on June 9.
For the trend lovers, Boston is 11-3 this season following games in which they scored 10 or more runs, while the Yankees are 5-7 following games in which they allowed 10 or more runs, so that bodes well for the Red Sox.
But they’re facing a team who has a track record of reacting well after getting routed, and they’re facing a pitcher in Sabathia who’s 4-0 in August, 3-0 in his last three road starts, and 9-5 on the road this season.
However, it’s a lot easier to shut down Oakland and Seattle than it is to shut down the Red Sox’ lineup, and recent road starts against stronger hitting teams in the White Sox, Rays, and Angels have seen him allow five at least five runs in each start.
Sabathia also doesn’t have the best track record in Boston, with a 1-2 mark at Fenway in four regular-season starts, and as I just mentioned, he’s had his struggles recently against better hitting teams.
Besides Joe Girardi not keeping him too long like he did in his previous start in Boston this season, Sabathia’s best hope is for the Yankees to get the bats going early and often, as New York has outscored opponents 68-19 in Sabathia’s nine road wins this season.
However, even with the way that hitting has dominated the series thus far, I don’t see Beckett running into the same kind of trouble he did in his last start or the shelling against the Yankees on April 25. Beckett’s been absolutely dominant at home over the last few months, and even if he isn’t dominant, if he can toss seven quality innings and leave with the lead, Terry Francona can turn to Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon – who are both fresh and rested – to finish the win off. It’s no surprise that the latest baseball odds have the Red Sox as a slight favorite with their ace on the rubber, and I’m backing the Red Sox to take tonight’s game and the series.
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