Yanks try to close gap on scorching Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox will try to distance themselves even further from the New York Yankees in the American League East this evening, when baseball's fiercest rivalry resumes at Yankee Stadium.

Boston comes into tonight's matchup holding an eight-game edge on the Yankees, who have won nine straight division titles. The Red Sox flexed their muscles over the weekend, sweeping a four-game series from the hapless Chicago White Sox and outscoring them 46-7.

Hoping to keep the Red Sox on the winning track tonight will be Japanese righty Daisuke Matsuzaka, who has beaten the Yankees both times he has faced them this season. However, he pitched to a 6.92 earned run average in those contests.

Matsuzaka is winless in his last three starts and steps to the mound tonight on the heels of back-to-back losses to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. "Dice-K" pitched well enough to win his last start on Wednesday, but surrendered two runs and two hits in six innings of a 2-1 loss at Tropicana Field. He is 13-10 with a 3.76 ERA this season.

New York will turn to its stopper tonight in left-hander Andy Pettitte, who has won his last five starts in impressive fashion. Pettitte halted his team's two-game losing streak on Wednesday in Los Angeles, as he held the Angels to one run and five hits in seven innings to run his record to 11-7 on the year and lower his ERA to 3.69.

Since breaking into the league in 1995, Pettitte is 104-42 after the All-Star break with a 3.46 ERA in 184 games (182 starts).

Pettitte, who has not given up more than three runs in any of his last nine starts, is 1-1 with a 5.01 ERA in five games (four starts) against the Red Sox this season.

The Yankees could use a big start from Pettitte after losing three of four to the Detroit Tigers, including a 16-0 drubbing in Monday's series finale at Comerica Park.

Mike Mussina started for New York and lasted just three innings, allowing six runs on nine hits with a walk. Mussina (8-10) has now given up at least six earned runs in all of his last three starts.

Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera had the only hits of the game for the Yankees, who finished a seven-game road trip with just two wins but still only trail the Seattle Mariners by two games for the AL wild card.

Boston has won seven of its 12 matchups with the Yankees this season and has split the six meetings in the Bronx. New York, though, has won the season series from the Red Sox the last two years.