Previewing the Red Sox and Yankees

Aug 16, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Shane Greene (61) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Griffith-USA TODAY Sports

Game One

If the Yankees have any hope or chance of playing postseason baseball, they need to treat each game, starting tonight, as a one-game elimination. Every game needs to be looked at like a Game 7 scenario. The Bombers can’t afford any more cold spells with the bats, or lackluster defense and pitching. The march to October starts tonight with their bitter rival, the Red Sox standing in their way. The Bombers enter the series opener, 8 1/2 back in the AL East, and 4 full games back of the second Wild Card spot.

Luckily for the Yankees, Shane Greene is taking the mound tonight against Boston. He is coming off of a 7-inning outing that can easily be termed a “gem.” He’s 4-1, with a 3.09 ERA in his initial campaign in the Bronx, and has never faced the Red Sox in his big league career. Greene has show the ability to take on and compete with the better hitting lineups of the American League, with victories against Baltimore, Cleveland, and Detroit. While the Red Sox can still rake, they aren’t what they once were.

Joe Kelly enters the bitter rivalry for the first time after having pitched for the Cardinals during his young career. The right is 0-1 with an ERA of 3.86 since coming over to the Junior Circuit. Over his past three starts, he’s 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 12 Ks (15 innings pitched). Martin Prado in 4 career ABs, has a bomb and a pair of RBI. Look for Jacoby Ellsbury to possibly return to the Yankees’ lineup tonight as well, as he recovers from a sprained left ankle suffered this past Friday night in a home plate collision in Toronto.