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Red Sox score early, top Yankees 6-4

Jun 8, 2011 - 11:08 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Jacoby Ellsbury hit Freddy Garcia's fifth pitch of the game over the wall in right field. That was just the start of Boston's big first inning, while the Yankees finished the game minus first baseman Mark Teixeira due to a right knee injury.

Adrian Gonzalez added an RBI triple during the three-run opening inning and David Ortiz cracked a two-run homer in the fifth, helping Boston to a 6-4 triumph over New York, giving the Red Sox their fourth straight win.

Jon Lester (8-2) allowed eight hits and three runs over six innings for the Red Sox, who are 6-1 this season against the Yankees and have captured eight of the last nine between these AL East rivals. Lester bounced back from a horrendous start against the White Sox on Memorial Day and moved to 8-1 lifetime against the Yankees. He's 5-0 on the road in 2011.

"Just try to keep these guys back in the dugout as quickly as possible," Lester said of facing the New York lineup. "I didn't do a great job of that, but with their lineup you have to do it as quick as you can."

Teixeira suffered a right knee contusion after being hit by a pitch in the first inning. He's day-to-day. Jorge Posada, who replaced Teixeira, went 3- for-3 with an RBI.

"In my mind I'm going to try to play," Teixeira said of possibly being back in the lineup Wednesday. "Just get a lot of treatment, get it moving. Hopefully a good night's rest will keep the pain down, keep the swelling down."

Garcia (4-5) didn't make it out of the second inning, as he yielded four hits and four runs.

Nick Swisher stroked a two-run double in defeat, just the second in the last eight games for the Yankees. They're locked in a virtual tie with Boston atop the division.

Jonathan Papelbon, pitching on appeal of a three-game suspension he received Tuesday, struck out Alex Rodriguez with a man on second base to end the game. Papelbon recorded his 12th save of the season and 200th of his career in his 359th major league appearance. He's the fastest pitcher to reach that mark, topping Mariano Rivera, who accomplished the feat in his 382nd contest.

After Ellsbury homered, Dustin Pedroia walked. Gonzalez tripled to center and scored on a Kevin Youkilis sacrifice fly to left.

Teixeira took a called strike from Lester and then fouled off a pitch before taking a pitch off his right kneecap. He was assisted off the field by manager Joe Girardi and bench coach Tony Pena. X-rays were negative and he'll be evaluated again Wednesday. Later in the first inning, Lester hit catcher Russell Martin with a pitch on the knee. Martin stayed in the game.

Robinson Cano singled in a run in the bottom of the first, but Pedroia had an RBI double in the second for a 4-1 margin.

Ortiz homered to right with Gonzalez on base before Swisher hit the gap to left-center with his two-RBI smash in the bottom of the frame.

Bobby Jenks started the seventh inning on the mound for Boston, but he left after just four pitches due to back tightness. Matt Albers didn't allow a hit the remainder of the frame and Daniel Bard had a 1-2-3 eighth, leading to Papelbon.

Posada singled in Brett Gardner with two outs. Pinch-runner Chris Dickerson took second uncontested, but Rodriguez fanned swinging to end it.

Game Notes

Papelbon was suspended for his inappropriate actions during Saturday's game against Oakland at Fenway Park. Papelbon made contact with home plate umpire Tony Randazzo after he was ejected in the top of the ninth inning. The right- hander was scheduled to begin serving his suspension, but he elected to appeal...Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro was activated off the 15-day disabled list and he went 1-for-4 in Tuesday's game. He had been out since May 8 with a left oblique strain...Posada snapped an 0-for-27 slump vs. lefties with a single in the third inning.