Game time: 8:05 pm


Scheduled starters: Sidney Ponson (4-5, 5.82) v. Jon Lester (6-2, 4.09)


Boston weather: 5 pm observation at BOS: Wind out of the south southwest at 12 mph, visibility greater than 10 miles, scattered clouds at 5,500 feet, broken layer at 16,000 feet, temperature 82F, DP 60F


Forecast: It will be in the upper 70's at game time, with a south to south southwest wind at less than 10 mph. That's blowing across from right to left, slightly out toward left.

Anni

At the Game Mojo: RSJ is back from Florida and will be Rooting from Section 18

1. Kevin Youkilis, 3B
2. Mark Loretta, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Eric Hinske, 1B
6. Wily Mo Pena, RF
7. Coco Crisp, CF
8. Doug Mirabelli, C
9. Alex Cora, SS
P -- Jon Lester

Um, wow. I said that if Coco led off tonight, I wasn't watching. Looks like my rant worked. Now THAT is a decent lineup.

Kinda surprised they pulled Coco out, I know he was awful this last game but he was good lately in that spot. I dunno, whatever. Just hit tonght wherever you are

The lineup does look better, the boys just better knock in some friggin' runs tonight. I still maintain that game changes if the Sox score those 2 in the 6th to tie it up.

Foulke has been activated for the second game. Jason Johnson was DFA'd.

[codebox]NY Yankees Boston
---------- ------

Pos Player HR RBI AVG. Pos Player HR RBI AVG.
--- ------ -- --- ---- --- ------ -- --- ----
CF Damon, Johnny 19 63 .291 3B Youkilis, Kevin 13 61 .293
SS Jeter, Derek 10 72 .341 2B Loretta, Mark 4 46 .306
DH Abreu, Bobby 1 6 .394 DH Ortiz, David 42 113 .283
3B Rodriguez, Alex 25 88 .286 LF Ramirez, Manny 33 94 .320
2B Cano, Robinson 7 36 .327 1B Hinske, Eric 0 0 .274
1B Wilson, Craig 2 5 .275 RF Pena, Wily Mo 9 34 .312
RF Williams, Bernie 8 46 .280 CF Crisp, Coco 6 26 .277
C Fasano, Sal 0 2 .150 C Mirabelli, Doug 6 19 .200
LF Cabrera, Melky 7 38 .288 SS Cora, Alex 0 13 .278
P Ponson, Sidney (0-1, 8.78) P Lester, Jon (6-2, 4.09)[/codebox]


08/18 19:27:19 ET

We'll win this goddam game and it'll be 1.5 GB again, ferchrissakes.

Blasphemy!!!

I was in that section at the day game today: row 14, seat 11. Hope he gets better results than I did.

Time for show some appreciation of the Yankees:

THANK GOD !

I love Mike, but the poor guy needed a night off. Good to see Hinske at first

damn you Damon for making Lester to work hard ALREADY!

Nice range Marky.

lester seriously, 10 pitches on your first batter is a bit much, espeically if you cannot get an out out of it

Hell yes! K's Jeter on a full count and Dougie throws out Damon.

Wow, if the strike zone stays that large, Lester might actually go more than 5 in this game!

nice play there... concentration is fundamental.

21 pitches for Jon, but 15 strikes, which means it's not really his fault, but it's because the Yankees fouled off a bunch of pitches. If he keeps nailing the zone, he'll be fine.

Lester has a bit extra on his fastball tonight and he is pounding the strikezone more.

I just saw this, Thanks!!! I need some kind of good news for today! and its about damn time too!!! maybe we can get few pellets of beers for JJ

Billy Crystal looks like he is starting a bender

Why is Mark Loretta swinging on 3-0?

EDIT: Apparently Ch. 9's count was wrong.

Nice to see Lester finding the zone...hopefully the Yanks can employ their suckiness of young pitchers against Jon, it wouldn't hurt!

At least Papi realizes that Ponson sucks.

Oh man!! Inches from 43!!

Need a big hit here by Manny, gotta jump on the lead early.

Manny knows it too.

Was that big enough for you?

Why yes, yes it was!

How did Ponson make that play?

He must have thought it was a cheeseburger...

Lester and Ponson threw the same amount of pitches that inning, obviously Lester faring much better.

does "getting hit on the leg" count as actually making a play though?

How do you think that ball hit his leg?

Finally Ponson's strict six meal a day diet pays off.

Ugh, tie game.

Well that lasted long.

That wasn't a good pitch for 1-2.

Yeah, we had a lead for all of ten minutes there...

Nice way to start off the inning with the lead...2 walks and an RBI double.

This is really awful to watch... Very painful

Kill me.

The wheels on the bus are falling off.

Unasisted triple play coming up right here.....

We get killed the first game, and now this? Why does God hate us?

Lets just walk the bottom of the order to get to the top... nice thinking... Looks like they might have to go to the Pen early. which is a diaster

If Sal Fasano gets a hit, God kill me.

Dougie's gotta complete that.

Ugh, still only one out after the bobble.

It's a start...

He's gotta get that cut fastball inside more.

Top of the order... shit