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Red Sox hope to bounce back vs. Yankees

Jul 26, 2008 - 6:32 AM NY Yankees (57-45) at Boston (60-44) 3:55 p.m. EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) -- After a frustrating loss to their arch rivals in the series opener, the Boston Red Sox will look to bounce back when they host the New York Yankees on Saturday.

The Red Sox managed three hits in seven innings against Joba Chamberlain and were stymied by Mariano Rivera in the eighth and ninth to fall, 1-0, on Friday. The Yankees scored their lone run on an infield single to the vacated shortstop hole by Jason Giambi when Boston went into the shift against the lefthanded slugger.

Chamberlain angered the Red Sox in the seventh when he threw up and in on Kevin Youkilis, knocking the Red Sox's first baseman to the ground. Chamberlain and Youkilis have a history, with the righthander getting thrown out of a game for sailing two pitches in a row over Youkilis' head last season and throwing behind him again earlier this season.

Boston's frustrations boiled over in the ninth when Mike Lowell struck out looking on a pitch that appeared to be well off the plate inside. Lowell threw his bat and helmet while screaming at the home plate umpire and was promptly ejected.

The Red Sox will try to turn the fortunes with knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-7, 3.69 ERA), who has been their hottest pitcher of late. The veteran righthander has recorded a 2.43 ERA while holding opponents to a .182 batting average over his last 10 starts, but has gone 3-4 over that span.

Wakefield allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings at New York on July 6 but did not factor in the decision in a 5-4 Red Sox loss.

The Yankees will counter with lefthander Andy Pettitte (11-7, 3.86), who has also been sharp of late. The veteran hurler is 5-2 with a 2.36 ERA over his last seven starts but had his worst outing of that stretch against Boston, allowing six runs - five earned - in 4 2/3 innings to suffer a loss on July 3.

The season series between the teams is tied at five games apiece.