New York @ Boston preview
Fenway Park
Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2010 ) NY Yankees 6, Boston 5
The New York Yankees may have the opportunity to clinch the AL East before the conclusion of Saturday's doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox.
New York enters play on Saturday with a half-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays. Should the Yankees win the opener of the doubleheader - and the Rays drop their game against the Kansas City Royals, New York will just need to claim the nightcap to secure their second straight division title and home field throughout the American League playoffs.
The Yankees are expected to send A.J. Burnett to the mound opposite Daisuke Matsuzaka for the second game.
Burnett has also been a cause for concern for the Yankees. He is 10-15 on the season with a 5.33 ERA. New York has lost nine of Burnett's last 11 starts.
Manager Joe Girardi has yet to confirm the postseason status of Burnett, who struggled mightily in his last outing. The tattooed hurler permitted seven runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings to suffer his 15th loss of the season.
For his part, Matsuzaka is 3-3 with a 5.70 ERA against the Yankees in his career but pitched well against them a week ago. Matsuzaka didn't figure in the decision as New York rallied for a 4-3 win in 10 innings.
New York has not announced who will start Sunday's game. If the Yankees need a win, they are expected to go with Phil Hughes.
Andy Pettitte will start Saturday's first game against Boston's Tim Wakefield.
Pettitte (11-3) is hoping to improve upon a disaster in his last outing. Boston pounded the veteran left-hander a week ago on the way to a 10-8 victory. He allowed 10 hits and seven runs in just 3 1/3 innings.
Wakefield (4-10) may be making his last start for Boston.
Even though the knuckleballer is signed through the 2011 season, Wakefield's role has been all but eliminated by the club.
Boston will honor veteran third baseman Mike Lowell before Saturday's first game. Lowell will retire at the end of the season.