The Yankees and Red Sox meet tonight for the first time this season, renewing baseball's most bitter rivalry. The game is set to get underway at 7:10pm ET at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. Making the series more interesting is the fact that the two squads are currently tied for second place in the AL East.
New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox MLB Predictions at BetUS.com have the Red Sox listed as a -135 moneyline favorite.
The Yankees come into this evening's ball game riding a three game win streak. New York completed a home sweep of the Oakland Athletics yesterday to improve their record to 9-6 on the season and remain in a tie for second with the red hot Red Sox.
The Yanks outlasted the A's to win game three of the series by a score of 9-7. Joe Girardi's team hammered out 17 hits, but prolonged the affair by leaving 13 runners on base. Center fielder Melky Cabrera finally ended things with a walk off, two run homer in the bottom of the 14th.
Starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia had another tough outing, giving up six hits and six earned runs in 6.2 innings.
The Red Sox ran their win streak to seven games on Wednesday by beating the Minnesota Twins in a double header at Fenway. The Sox took the first game 10-1 and finished off the mini-sweep with a 7-3 victory in game two. Boston pummeled the struggling Francisco Liriano in the nightcap, banging out four hits and seven earned runs in four innings against the Dominican hurler.
Starting tonight for New York will be Nebraska product Joba Chamberlain. Chamberlain is 0-0 this season in two starts with a 5.06 ERA. The 23 year old has worked a total of 10.2 innings thus far, giving up 10 hits and six earned runs. The Yankees are 1-1 in his appearances this year.
Chamberlain was 1-0 in two starts versus Boston in 2008. He pitched 13 innings against the Sox last season and allowed just five earned runs while striking out 14. Boston hit a meager .182 against him.
Terry Francona will start left-hander Jon Lester tonight. The Tacoma, Washington native has had a rocky beginning to the year, going 1-2 in three starts with a 5.50 ERA. However, he looked spectacular in his last start, a 2-1 win over Baltimore. Lester went seven innings and did not allow a single earned run in the victory.
Lester was dominant against New York a season ago as he amassed a 2-0 record against them in three starts. The 25 year old worked 22.2 innings in those outings and gave up three earned runs (1.19 ERA), three walks, and struck out 24.
Boston and New York split last year's meetings 9-9, but the Yankees did manage to go 5-4 at Fenway Park.
BetUS.com New York Yankees vs Boston Red Sox MLB Predictions:
New York Yankees +1.5 (-170), Over 9.5 (+110), +115 (Moneyline)
Boston Red Sox -1.5 (+150), Under 9.5 (-130), -135 (Moneyline)
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