Yankees 3 - 4 Red Sox
Final
  for this game

Yankees-Red Sox Preview

Aug 30, 2015 - 10:54 PM Offense wasn't a problem over the weekend for the New York Yankees despite the absence of two sluggers from the starting lineup.

One will return Monday night while the other may not.

Alex Rodriguez is expected to rejoin the Yankees' lineup, though Mark Teixeira could remain out for the opener of a three-game set against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

New York (72-57) totaled 38 runs and batted .364 in a three-game weekend sweep at Atlanta. Didi Gregorius was 7 for 12 with eight RBIs in the series, Carlos Beltran was 6 for 12 and Chase Headley 6 for 11 with a homer and seven RBIs.

The Yankees fell a run shy of their season high with a 20-6 victory Sunday in which Stephen Drew went 4 for 4 with four RBIs.

Rodriguez did not start in the weekend series with no designated hitter in an NL park and will now return to the lineup.

The same can't be said for Teixeira, who has missed the last three games with a bruised right shin and has started only once in the Yankees' last 12 games. He is second on the club with 79 RBIs, and manager Joe Girardi is not sure when he will return.

"There just hasn't been a lot of improvement," Girardi said.

Boston (60-70) has won nine of its last 14 at home and enjoyed taking two of three from the NL East-leading New York Mets on the road over the weekend.

"A couple of the players, I overheard their conversation, and playing the role of spoiler right now and beating the Mets the first couple of days was pretty special to us," interim manager Torey Lovullo told MLB's official website. "We want that to continue."

The Yankees are 8-4 in the season series and expect a difficult trip to face their last-place archrival.

"I think there's a lot of pride that goes into those games," Girardi said. "They have young players that are continuing to try to make a mark for themselves and it's important for them."

New York will start Ivan Nova (5-6, 4.50 ERA), who fell to 1-3 with a 7.17 ERA in his last four outings after surrendering a season-high seven runs over four-plus innings in Tuesday's 15-1 home defeat to Houston.

The right-hander was charged with four runs in 6 2-3 innings in a 5-3 loss at Boston on July 11 to fall to 3-3 with a 5.11 ERA in nine starts against the Red Sox.

David Ortiz is 8 for 22 with a homer off Nova, while Alejandro De Aza is 7 for 10 with a homer in the matchup.

Ortiz returned to the lineup after not starting one game due to a heel problem and drilled his 494th homer with a two-run shot in Sunday's 5-4 loss.

Catcher Ryan Hanigan missed his second straight game with tightness in his right calf, with Blake Swihart replacing him. Hanley Ramirez is out nursing a sore shoulder.

Boston will start rookie Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.39), who is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA in two starts versus New York. Jacoby Ellsbury is 4 for 7 against him and Rodriguez 3 for 6.

The left-hander is 3-0 with a 2.41 ERA in his last six home starts.






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