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Historic homers lead Red Sox to sweep of Yankees

Apr 23, 2007 - 5:17 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Daisuke Matsuzaka and Alex Rodriguez stole the headlines before the game, but it was the Boston Red Sox bats that ruled the night.

Mike Lowell's two homers helped the Red Sox complete their first sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway Park since 1990 with a 7-6 victory.

The Red Sox hit four straight homers off Yankees starter Chase Wright with two outs in the third inning to take their first lead of the game, 4-3. Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Lowell and Jason Varitek all took the lefthander deep before Wily Mo Pena struck out to end the inning.

"I haven't been a part of anything like that," Lowell said. "Not even in little league."

It was the first time in franchise history, and only the fifth time in major league history, that back-to-back-to-back-to-back homers had been hit. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the last team to accomplish the feat - on September 18, 2006, against San Diego. Drew was also involved in that homer barrage.

"What do you say," Drew said. "You can't explain it. You got four good at-bats where guys hit the ball and squared it up and hit it out of the park. It's a really good experience."

Wright tied a major league record for most homers allowed in a single inning. The last person to do it was Randy Johnson, also for the Yankees, on August 21, 2005, against the Chicago White Sox.

"It happened quickly," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "It's just another piece of experience for that kid. It has nothing to do with what he's going to be or what's going to happen with him in the future. I still think's he's going to be special. It was just one of those things that he had to deal with."

The Yankees tied the game in the fifth when Derek Jeter homered off Matsuzaka and took a 5-4 lead it the sixth when Robinson Cano scored on Melky Cabrera's groundout.

Lowell added a three-run shot in the seventh off reliever Scott Proctor to give Boston the lead back for good.

Matsuzaka, who struggled throughout, was removed after Rodriguez singled leading off the eighth inning. The Japanese righthander, who was facing the Yankees for the first time, allowed six runs and eight hits while striking out seven.

The six runs Matsuzaka yielded matched his total allowed in his first three starts.

"Part of it is facing that lineup," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I thought there were times when he rushed a little bit that may have affected his command. But to get us into the eighth inning, we'll take it."

Jonathan Papelbon picked up his sixth save in as many opportunities with a scoreless ninth inning to complete the sweep.

"It's April," Drew said about the sweep. "It would be nice if it were September and you were in a pennant race right now. It does all add up. You're trying to accumulate as many wins as you can. Anyway you can do it is nice."

Rodriguez extended his hitting streak to 22 games dating to last season with a single in the eighth inning, but grounded out to third base with a runner on first to end the game.

Wright, making just his second major league start, walked three and struck out three in three innings. The 24-year-old lefthander yielded five hits and four runs, all on the solo homers.

The last time the Red Sox had four homers in an inning was July 23, 2002, against Tampa Bay.

The four consecutive homers allowed makes Wright only the second pitcher in history to give up four straight blasts in an inning.

The last was Paul Foytack of the Los Angeles Angeles against the Cleveland Indians on July 31, 1963. One of the batters was Tito Francona, Terry's Francona's father.