A sweep would have left the Sox just three and a half games out of first, but it was not to be, as the Yankees took two out of three at Fenway. Not only did they push the Sox back a game, but they also cleared enough elbow room to lay claim, unofficially, to the division title.

Once again, it's wild card time.

The good news: the Red Sox have won the wild card a record six times since it was first introduced in 1995.

The bad news: the Texas Rangers are one game behind the Sox and Tampa Bay is just three back, with six more to play against the Boston.

Another year, another uphill battle. Makes watching the remaining games all the more interesting.

Next up: The Chicago White Sox at Fenway tonight. Jose Contreras (5-11. 5.13) vs. Clay Buchholz (2-3, 3.99)

Call me Kreskin.

Yes, it's true. Everything I said at the end of my post from yesterday came true in the Sox' 14-1 revenge drubbing of the Yankees at Fenway.

1. A.J. Burnett was awful: five innings, nine earned runs.

2. Junichi Tazawa tossed a gem: six scoreless innings.

3. The Yankee bats cooled down: one earned run, 13 left on base.

4. The Red Sox scored another 11 runs, and added three more.

So, you may ask, with aces CC Sabathia and Josh Beckett on the hill, what's in store tonight?

I have no idea. I'm inclined to say the Sox will win by a score of 2-1, but no Red Sox-Yankees game clocks in at two-and-a-half hours. Something tells me the bullpens will decide this one, and it could take a few extra innings.

Game time is 8:05. Get your earplugs ready for Joe Morgan and John Miller on ESPN.
 

You would think 11 runs would be more than enough for the Red Sox  to win at Fenway.

But instead, the home team fell two grand slams and a couple of solo homers short of victory last night as the Yankees pounded the Red Sox for 20 runs on 23 hits in a game that seemed like it would never end.

Brad Penny, who by now should have been traded or released, was awful from the first pitch. Michael Bowden, the most recent call-up from Pawtucket, needed more than 40 pitches to get out of his first inning of relief. It would have been a good night for one of those drinking games where you have to take swig of beer every time a run scores. Of course, you'd have needed to head back to the liquor store for another case of brew by the third inning.

Today could be another disaster as Junichi Tazawa faces off against A.J. Burnett. Who decided on these lopsided pitching matchups? It's like Terry Francona lost a high-stakes poker game and had to pay up by sending the back end of his rotation to face a very confident Yankee lineup. By the time Josh Beckett squares off against CC Sabathia tomorrow night, any hopes of a Red Sox division crown will be a distant memory.

Unless, of course, Burnett has one of his poor outings.

And Junichi Tazawa tosses a gem.

And the Yankees bats cool down.

And the Red Sox score another 11 runs.

I feel like my fanhood just got run over by a train with a NY logo on it. What a miserable weekend!

Got to tip the cap to the Yankees for finding a way to win in Games 2 and 4, and also for ending the Smoltz project once and for all. What's worse than a four-game sweep? A four game sweep at the hands of the Yankees. The Sox still lead the season series 8-4, but who cares at this point?

Time for the Sox to move on, but not without first facing the first-place Detroit Tigers. And look who we've got to stop the bleeding? The ever-unpredictable Brad Penny.

Let's hope some home cookin' can wake up the bats.

Anyone who says they prefer a high scoring game to a pitchers' duel didn't watch last night's 14-inning instant classic.

Both teams' starters were spectacular. The bullpens were unyielding.

I feel bad for Junichi Tazawa, a 23 year old starter who made his major league debut in relief in the bottom of the 14th inning of longest scoreless game ever between these two teams. Apart from the home run to A-Rod, he appeared confident and ready. Any future situation will be low-pressure compared to the fire he was tossed into last night, or, i should say, early this morning.

Anyway, great game, tough loss, and already it's time to move on to another game.

I was at my writer's group last night, monitoring the game on my MLB app on my iPhone. Was it really as awful as it appeared?

Retire today, John Smoltz. Or go to the bullpen as a mop-up man. Or pull a Bartolo Colon and fly home, then tell the team you've decided not to come back. Thanks a lot, that would be great.

Hope is restored tonight when Josh Beckett takes the mound against his former Marlins teammate, A.J. Burnett. Burnett has a lousy track record against the Sox this season, but prior to that, he had been undefeated. Beckett, meanwhile, leads the league in wins as he goes for his 14th tonight.

Since Jane Heller is fond of Yankees look-alikes, I thought I'd post this one of my least favorite Yankee. His resemblance to Bat Boy of the Weekly World News is downright uncanny, don't you agree?

Just how long does it take to make a statement about being named on the list of failed drug tests from 2003? It seems David Ortiz needs about a week.

How many attorneys and team officials are needed to get the story straight? With each day that passes, whatever story he tells, whichever excuse he makes, David Ortiz will be that much less credible.

He hasn't said a word yet and already I don't believe him.

Get it over with, Big Papi. The sooner you speak, the quicker we can begin to look the other way as long as the team is winning. Because that's all we fans can do now that we're caught up in this era of liars and cheaters.