Bosox take 2 of 3 in no-so-heated NY/BOS rivalry series

8/26-8/27 - Yankee Stadium
GAME 1 - '07-Red Sox 5, '78-Yankees 3
Tied 3-3 going into the 9th the Bosox got a 2 run homer by Coco Crisp off of reliever Sparky Lyle.  JD Drew opened the inning with a single off of starter Ron Guidry, who was immediately lifted for Lyle.  Boston starter Curt Schiling was gone after 7 1/3 innings of 3 run work.  Jonathan Papelbon pitched a scoreless perfect bottom of the 9th to get his 3rd save of the season.  Gary Thomasson hit 2 homers in a losing effort for the Bombers.

GAME 2 - Yankees 5, Red Sox 4
Josh Beckett started off behind the 8 ball when he gave up 3 quick runs to the Bombers in the bottom of the first where New York batted around.  Mickey Rivers led off with a two bagger and Willie Randolph single him over to third.  The captain, Thurman Munson, scored Rivers with a ground out to 3rd.  Chris Chambliss walked to put runners on the corners.  A Graig Nettles sac fly and a bases loaded walk to Roy White accounted for two more runs.  Boston didn't curl up in a ball and go away.  Solo runs in the 2nd and 7th plus a 2 spot in the 6th made it a 1 run game.  Chambliss hit a solo shot in the 3rd and Nettles solo shot in the 6th was the difference maker.  Yankee starter Ed Figueroa went 7 1/3 and gave up 4 runs (3 earned).  Goose Gossage came on board for the final 5 outs to get the save while fanning 3.

8/28 - Fenway Park
GAME 3 - Red Sox 5, Yankees 0
Dice-K Matsuzaka had a two hit shutout over 7 innings before giving way to the Red Sox pen, which was equally as perfect.  Jim Beattie started for the Bombers, but never got past the 4th inning as he gave up all 5 runs on 10 hits.  Ken Clay threw the final 4+ innings and didn't yield a run, but the dye was already cast thanks to a huge 4 run 4th inning by the Sahx.  Six Boston players had multi-hit games.  Manny Ramirez was 3 for 5 and upped his season  average to .304.  "Sweet" Lou Piniella had 2 of New York's 3 hits on the day.  The Yankees are being killed by their middle order sluggers.  Nettles is hitting a frigid .158 and Reggie is 6 points under the Mendoza line.  With both teams under .500 this "greatest rivalry" series didn't have the normal impact that it usually has.