New York Yankees defeat Boston Red Sox, 7-2

NEW YORK — When Josh Beckett walked off the Yankee Stadium mound last night, it was as it had been in too many of his starts against the Yankees lately in his career.

He was exiting far too early for a pitcher of his stature and his stuff, marking the third time in four starts against New York this season that he had come one out shy of getting through the fifth inning.

His ERA, already high, soared to an embarrassing 6.21. And it sent Beckett reeling back to the way it...

NEW YORK — Another Yankee was scratched from the lineup before a game against the Red Sox, and this time Joe Buck had nothing to do with it.

A day after Alex Rodriguez was struck by a ball in batting practice while chatting up the Fox announcer, righthander A.J. Burnett was taken out of the lineup yesterday because of a sore back.

Burnett had back spasms while playing catch Saturday and will not pitch in the series.

But what seemed at first like a break for the Re...