Split Still In Order

Any fantasies about sweeps were erased at Yankee Stadium yesterday, as John Lackey turned in another rotten performance, as New York won 5-2.

On a day when Slappy got hurt in batting practice chatting with Joe Buck and didn't play, the Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second on Victor Martinez' home run and doubles by Adrian Beltre and Mike Lowell. But New York answered back with two off Lackey in the bottom of the inning, and added three in the fifth to conclude the day's scoring.

C.C. Sabathia was just better, going eight innings and allowing the Red Sox nothing after their two runs in the second. Lackey continues to be a disappointment, as it was the 11th time in 23 starts he's allowed four runs or more. His ERA is now a rising 4.60. Not good.

Tampa Bay got walloped in Toronto, so the Sox lost no ground on the Rays, and remain 4 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race.

I looked at this series and thought a split of the four was exactly what the Red Sox needed. It's still in play, and now the Red Sox have the pitching advantage in both games, with Josh Beckett going against A.J. Burnett in the ESPN-hijacked game tonight, and Jon Lester pitching in tomorrow's finale against Dustin Moseley.

Former Red Sox manager and pitching guru Joe Kerrigan is once again unemployed, having gotten the axe as pitching coach in Pittsburgh. Does it seem like it was 50 years ago he was the Red Sox' skipper?