G62: Red Sox 8, Yankees 3

Red Sox - 000 000 701 - 8 12  1
Yankees - 200 000 001 - 3  6  1

Boston had managed only two singles off Sabathia in six innings, but they battered him for six hits and six runs in the seventh and rolled to their AL-best 36th victory of the season. It was Boston's second three-game sweep in New York this season, something a Red Sox team has not done since 1913 (and no AL team has done since the 1990 A's).

Beckett (7-4-2-2-6, 104) hit Derek Jeter in the first inning and then gave up a home run to Curtis Granderson, putting the Sox in a 2-0 hole. And the visitors' bats were silent until the seventh.

David Ortiz (who was drilled in the right thigh in the fourth inning, prompting warnings to both benches) grounded a single to right-center to start the inning. Jed Lowrie's first-pitch line drive down the right field line got past Nick Swisher for a triple, cutting the Yankees' lead to 2-1. Carl Crawford grounded out to third (1B umpire Brian Knight took a long look at the first base bag before making his call), but Mike Cameron doubled to left, towards the corner, scoring Lowrie and tying the game. Jason Varitek singled to right, as did Jacoby Ellsbury (after fouling off a tough 1-2 pitch), and the Sox led 3-2.

Marco Scutaro then drilled a pitch to left center that the speedy Brent Gardner ran down in the gap and made a leaping catch on. Adrian Gonzalez, who had two fugly strikeouts against CC earlier in the evening, lined a single to center (4-2). That was finally it for Sabathia (6.2-8-6-2-5, 108) and David Robertson came in. Kevin Youkilis singled on an 0-2 pitch (5-2) and Ortiz belted a two-run double to the wall in left-center (7-2). Lowrie flied to left for the third out.

One-out doubles from Scutaro and Gonzalez gave Boston another run in the ninth. Seven of Boston's 12 hits came with runners at second and/or third base.

The game started at 10:32 - after a rain delay of 3:27.

Josh Beckett / CC Sabathia

Beckett has made two starts against the Yankees this season - April 10 (4-0) and May 14 (6-0) - pitching 14 scoreless innings, allowing only six hits and three walks, and striking out 19. He was matched up against Sabathia both times (12.1 innings, 16 hits, 7 runs, 7 walks, 10 strikeouts).

The Red Sox (7-1 against New York this year) have won 9 of their last 10 games against the Yankees (also 12 of 15 and 15 of 21) .

Terry Francona, on WEEI's Big Show, Wednesday afternoon:

How as Ortiz's ability to hit lefthanders affected the lineup this season?

It does a couple of things. One, it lets me answer a heck of a lot less questions. ...

AL East: Blue Jays/Royals at 4 PM.