Boston, MA – With the Red Sox teetering on falling into second place in the AL East, Jacoby Ellsbury took matters into his own hands Wednesday night and helped keep Josh Beckett undefeated this season against the Yankees.
Ellsbury blasted the go-ahead two-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Red Sox also got long balls from Jason Varitek and David Ortiz in a 9-5 victory over New York to remain atop the division.
Beckett (12-5) gave up four runs in the top of the sixth, but managed to stay unbeaten this season against the Yankees. The right-hander, who had eight strikeouts over seven innings, is 4-0 this season against rival New York. He's the first Red Sox pitcher to win four games vs. the Yankees in a single season since Al Nipper in 1987.
Varitek tied the game with an RBI double in the sixth inning, as Boston bounced back from a 5-2 loss Tuesday and moved 1 1/2 games ahead of New York. The Red Sox have won six of their last eight games overall and moved to 11-3 this season vs. the Yankees.
Ortiz expanded his season-high hitting streak to 14 games. He's batting .509 (27-for-53) during the stretch with seven homers and 16 RBI.
Phil Hughes (4-5) was charged with eight hits and six runs, as New York had its three-game winning streak snapped.
The Red Sox send 14-game winner Jon Lester to the mound for the finale of this three-game series Thursday night. The Yankees will go with A.J. Burnett, who is 1-5 over his last 10 appearances.
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