Showdown

Lineups:

Damon, CF         Crisp, CF
Jeter, SS         Loretta, 2B
Abreu, RF         Ortiz, DH
Giambi, DH        Ramirez, LF
Rodriguez, 3B     Youkilis, 1B
Cano, 2B          Lowell, 3B
Posada, C         Hinske, RF
Wilson, 1B        Lopez, C
Cabrera, LF       Gonzalez, SS

Pena sits for Game 1. However, no wailing and gnashing of teeth yet -- he'll probably play tonight.

Wang has made three starts against the Red Sox this year, allowing 23 hits, 7 walks and 11 runs in 18 innings (5.50 ERA). In his two Fenway starts (May 6 and 22), he gave up 10 runs and 15 hits in 11 innings.

***

Here we go.

When asked when he last pitched in a game as important as this afternoon's contest, Jason Johnson said, "Never? Something like that, it's been a long time, if at all. ... I'm a little bit jittery."

The Yankees speak: Damon: "We know it could be for the division." ... Slappy: "It's very important for us to play well." ... Craig Wilson: "It's my understanding they don't like us." ... Steinbrenner: "We better play better than we did [Thursday]."

Friday, 1 PM - Chien-Ming Wang (3.84) / Jason Johnson (6.26)

Friday, 8 PM - Sidney Ponson (5.82) / Jon Lester (4.09)

Saturday, 1 PM - Randy Johnson (4.92) / Josh Beckett (5.02)

Sunday, 8 PM - Mike Mussina (3.54) / Curt Schilling (3.83)

Monday, 1 PM - Cory Lidle (4.64) / David Wells (6.06)

Note: Manny Ramirez is batting .500 (17-for-34) with five home runs and 14 RBIs against the Yankees this season.

***

History: The last time the Yankees came to Fenway for a five-game set -- in mid-July 1959 -- the Red Sox swept the series. (In all of the Fenway games, the Red Sox scored runs in bunches.)

Thursday, July 9 -- Red Sox 14, Yankees 3 (Sox score 7 in 3rd)

Friday, July 10 -- Red Sox 8, Yankees 5 (Sox score 5 in 4th)

Saturday, July 11 -- Red Sox 8, Yankees 4 (10) (Don Buddin hits grand slam off Bob Turley in bottom of 10th)

Sunday, July 12 -- Red Sox 7, Yankees 3 (Sox score 4 in 1st)

Monday, July 13 -- Red Sox 13, Yankees 3 (Sox score 4 in 1st and 9 in 6th)

Actually, it was kind of a six-game series -- on July 8, the day before the Fenway series began, the Red Sox lost at Yankee Stadium 11-5. (I'm assuming this was a makeup game.)