Bay, Pedroia help Red Sox win in rout
NEW YORK -- Jason Bay drove in four runs, Dustin Pedroia hit a grand slam and the Boston Red Sox defeated the New York Yankees, 11-3, Wednesday night, putting a dent in New York’s playoff chances.
Paul Byrd beat New York in a key game for the second year in a row and David Ortiz reached base four times for the second game in a row.
Pedroia’s first career slam capped a seven-run eighth inning and sent hordes of booing Yankees fans shuffling toward the exits. New York dropped seven games behind Boston, which remained 3 1/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the American League East.
The injury-depleted Yankees gave the ball to Sidney Ponson (7-5), who lasted 4 2/3 innings and dropped to 3-13 with a 6.95 earned-run average in 22 starts against the Red Sox.
Boston will try for a three-game sweep today with left-hander Jon Lester on the mound against 16-game winner Mike Mussina.
Byrd (9-11) stymied the Yankees with floaters and soft stuff, just as he did in October when the right-hander won at Yankee Stadium to clinch a first-round playoff series for Cleveland.
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