Boston Red Sox defeat New York Yankees, 7-6

NEW YORK — Jonathan Papelbon was in the same place a little more than a day later, on the mound at Yankee Stadium charged with protecting a lead in the bottom of the ninth inning.

He failed Monday night, giving up home runs to Alex Rodriguez and Marcus Thames as the Yankees scored four times to stun the Sox. But last night, Papelbon took a punch and kept his feet.

The closer allowed one run, then retired two batters with two runners on as the Red Sox escaped with a 7...

NEW YORK — The motion came from Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell on the mound. As Josh Beckett stood there, looking on, it was indicated to plate umpire Angel Campos that the starter would not continue. He had felt tightness in his lower back on a pitch to Alex Rodriguez, and was done for the night. It was only then, as the call was made for reliever Manny Delcarmen, that manager Terry Francona and a trainer started to jog toward the mound.

It was a strange scene, on...

NEW YORK — Rain delayed the start of last night’s Red Sox-Yankees game. The day-long downpour canceled batting practice and made life miserable for fans who arrived on schedule.

But the worst thing about the rain was that it gave the Red Sox more time to spend with one another in the visitors’ clubhouse at Yankee Stadium. The way things are going these days, you don’t want these 25 guys locked into a room together for long stretches.

It’s almost like 2000, when Carl ...

The Yankees' late-inning combo of Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera is supposed to be the best in baseball. Right now it's not and with the AL East-leading Rays arriving Wednesday that's not a good thing.

For the second time in three days the pitchers charged with finishing off opponents couldn't do it. Chamberlain gave up four runs in the eighth as the archrival Red Sox tied the game and Rivera allowed a pair of runs in the ninth as Boston prevailed 7-6 at the Stadiu...