The Sox Blow One If the Yankees do in fact come back to tie or beat the Red Sox in the east, last night's game will be seen as a watershed. Your bullpen gives up five runs in the eighth and ninth to lose to the Orioles? Ouch. Will this game get in the Sox's heads?

Meanwhile, with the help of two rookie pitchers whom they've steadfastly refused to trade, the Yankees beat the Cleveland Indians, 6-1. A-Rod hit his 37th; Derek Jeter went 3-4, and the Yankees now have five starters hitting .300 or better.

I have a bet with a colleague at work, who says that the Red Sox lead over the Yankees will be nine games by 9/1. I'm liking my chances.
______________________________________________________________

P.S. Here's a remarkable thing: I read in the NY Post that the combined ages of last night's Yankee pitchers, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain, is three years less than Roger Clemens' age; they're 21, he's 45.

P.P.S. Speaking of Clemens...the American League's suspension of Clemens for five games is absurd. The Blue Jays had been throwing at A-Rod for two straight games, hitting him once. Clemens does the appropriate thing and nails one of the Blue Jays, and the umps throw him out of the game and suspend him and manager Joe Torre? What a crock.  ¶ 7:33 AM