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Red Sox sweep Yanks, reach .500 for 1st time

May 16, 2011 - 6:34 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Alex Rodriguez's error in the top of the seventh inning allowed the eventual game-winning run to score, as the Boston Red Sox took down the New York Yankees, 7-5, to complete a three-game sweep.

Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer for the Red Sox, who recorded their first sweep of the Yankees since taking three straight from June 9-11, 2009 at Fenway Park. David Ortiz and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit solo homers.

Jon Lester (5-1) gave up four runs on five hits in a six-inning start for Boston, which is .500 (20-20) for the first time this season. Lester struck out seven and walked four.

Curtis Granderson hit a two-run homer and scored twice for New York, which has lost a season-high five consecutive games. Andruw Jones hit a solo homer.

Freddy Garcia (2-3) allowed five runs -- four earned -- on six hits over 5 1/3 frames to take the loss.

"It seemed like Boston came in here and did exactly what we do to other teams -- keep at-bats alive, fouling off pitches, battling and getting big hits," Rodriguez said. "And we're not doing it."

Jorge Posada apologized to Yankees manager Joe Girardi for asking out of the lineup prior to Saturday's game against the Red Sox.

After being dropped to ninth in the order, Posada was a late scratch for the game, touching off a bizarre string of events before, during and after the game that included his wife defending him on the social networking site Twitter.

Posada was not in the lineup for Sunday night's game, but was cheered when he came on as a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. He walked.

Ortiz's homer in the fifth broke a 4-4 tie. With two outs, Ortiz knocked the ball just inside the right-field foul pole.

Boston added to its lead in the seventh after Rodriguez's error. David Robertson walked Dustin Pedroia, who stole second. Adrian Gonzalez was then intentionally walked to put two men on with one out. Youkilis followed with a routine grounder to third base, but Rodriguez let the ball go under his glove. The error allowed Pedroia to cross the plate for a 6-4 Boston lead. The Red Sox went on to load the bases, but Jed Lowrie went down looking to end the frame.

The Red Sox committed an error in the home seventh to give New York the run back. With Granderson on first and two outs, Alfredo Aceves gave up a double to Rodriguez. Left fielder Carl Crawford bobbled the ball, which allowed Granderson to score. Daniel Bard was called upon to get the last out of the inning.

Saltalamacchia gave Boston a two-run cushion again with a homer in the eighth. With one out, Saltalamacchia drove Joba Chamberlain's offering over the wall in right for a 7-5 margin.

"I didn't hit it great, but I hit it luckily to the right part of the ballpark," Saltalamacchia said. "To sweep a division rival and gain a game, that's what we want."

Jonathan Papelbon tossed a perfect ninth for his seventh save of the season.

New York got on the board in the first. Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a groundout and crossed the plate on Mark Teixeira's base hit to center.

The Red Sox quickly tied things in the second. With the bases loaded and nobody out, Lowrie knocked in Youkilis with a sacrifice fly. Garcia made sure Boston came away with just one run in the frame.

A pair of homers in the home second gave the Yankees a 4-1 lead. Jones led off with a homer to left-center field. Later in the inning, Granderson drove in Russell Martin with a blast over the wall in right.

But Boston tied the game in the third. Jacoby Ellsbury doubled and Gonzalez walked to put men on first and second with one out. Youkilis stepped to the plate and smacked Garcia's offering over the wall in left to make it 4-4.

Game Notes

Boston has won five its six matchups with the Yankees this season...Lester improved to 7-1 lifetime against New York...Garcia fell to 8-3 against Boston in his career...The Yankees have lost five in a row for the first time since May 2-7, 2009...Gonzalez had homered in each of his previous four games. He went 0-for-3 with two walks...Boston went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine...Ortiz went 3-for-5...The Yankees were swept by Boston at home in a series of at least three games for the first time since April 23-25, 2004.