Red Sox @ Yankees: Wake returns for key match-up

The Yankees are 5 games behind the Red Sox in the Wild Card race. They're coming off a sweep of the Orioles in which they scored 22 runs... but they also gave up 14 runs in that series.

That's good news for the Sox who head to the Bronx having won 4 of their last 6. Tim Wakefield will be making his first start since he hit the DL back in early August with tightness in his shoulder. Wake had been sharp leading up to the shut down, allowing just 1 earned run over 12.1 innings in his last two starts... but that was against Oakland and Kansas City.

Wake has not faired as well against the Yankees... he's 9-17 in 30 starts with a 5.14 ERA against the pinstripes... and 5-7 with a 3.69 ERA in the Bronx. If you thought that was bad, take a look at 2007: 0-3 with a 10.93 ERA... 17 hits and 17 walks through 14 innings...

Jeter and Co. have clearly seen enough of Wake over the years to know what to do with him, so I don't really like this match-up, but it is what it is. David Pauley would likely be the first out of the pen if things go bad early.

The Yankess will be countering with Andy Pettitte. The lefty has been solid against the Sox (16-7, 3.54 ERA, 29 starts), but he's been mediocre at best as fo late, posting a 4.15 ERA and a .278 BAA in August, and that includes his last outing - 7.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 4 K against Toronto.

Pettitte and the Yankees will be looking to capitalize on their recent surge, as well as the playoff atmosphere...

“I feel like it’s a must-win series,” Andy Pettitte, Tuesday’s starter for the Yankees, told the team’s official Web site. “I don’t necessarily feel like we need to sweep them, but I feel like we need to win the series.”

We can bury the Yankees with a sweep and take their hearts in the process, but despite that - and the series’ historical significance - Red Sox manager Terry Francona says it’s just another series.

“Because of the media and the fans, there’s more energy or electricity in the ballpark, but you can’t bring in a pitcher an inning earlier,” Francona said. “They don’t give you two wins when you beat the Yankees.”

Bottom Line: Tito's right, but taking 2 of 3 instead of giving them 2 of 3 (or worse) should keep the Yankees at bay and give us a nice boost as we head into September. The Twins aren't going away and the Rays are clearly legit, so we'll need all the hlpe we can get from the Fenway Faithful when we play 16 of our last 25 at home...

Who to Watch: Bobby Abreu is batting .440 over the past 7 days and went 5 for 5 day on Sunday - he's 7 for 25 (.280) vs Wake ... Ex-Pirate Xavier Nady has been hot as well (3.46 this week) but he's 0-3 lifetime against the knuckleball ... and Robinson Cano continues his 2nd half tear - he's batting .328 this half and .333 against Wakefield ... Youk is riding a 5-game hitting streak and is batting .444 with a home against Pettitte ... David Ortiz is batting .309 at Yankee Stadium with 16 HRs and .357 against Pettitte, but he's batting just .212 against southpaws this year ... Jason Bay is 8 for 19 (.421) with a homer, so that should help him stay relaxed in his introduction to "The Rivalry."