The Yankee's first half of the season ends this weekend with a four game series against the Boston Red Sox in Fenway. Although the Yankees struggle without three aces of their rotation, a great outfielder in Brett Gardner, and the loss of the greatest closer in history, there is no time for sympathy. This series is crucial for the Sox to win with the loss of their Gold Glover Dustin Pedroia, an uprising star in Will Middlebrooks, and with the loss of huge stars in outfielders Jacoby Ellsbury and Carl Crawford, soon to return from the DL.

Fortunately, this Yankee squad (49-32) stands alone as the top team in all of baseball, regardless of the injuries. The Red Sox (42-40) are surprisingly hanging within the competition between a struggling Rays and Tigers team for a spot as the wild card.

This rivalry introduces another chapter in its history tonight with a hot Hiroki Kuroda and a struggling Josh Beckett. Even though these teams play each other seventeen games out of their last eighty-one, this series should be a steal for Joe Girardi's Bombers. With a Sox lineup of Daniel Nava, Ryan Kalish, Cody Ross, Mike Aviles and Nick Punto, it will sooner than later that Bobby V's Sox will be out of playoff contention, along with the Tigers and Angels taking over the Wild Card spots.

PITCHING MATCHUPS:

            NYY (49-32)                          BOS (42-40)

H. Kuroda (8-7, 3.17 ERA) vs. J. Beckett (4-7, 4.08 ERA)
P. Hughes (9-6, 4.29 ERA)  vs. F. Morales (1-1, 2.51 ERA)
F. Garcia (2-2, 5.94 ERA)   vs. F. Dubront (8-4, 4.42 ERA)
I. Nova (9-3, 4.05 ERA)     vs. J. Lester (5-5, 4.33 ERA)