Game 123 - AJ is Absolute Joke Again in Boston The

The Red Sox did a great job of putting yesterday's humiliating loss behind them by pasting the Yanks 14-1. It appears Absolute Joke Burnett isn't a big fan of Fenway Park since joining the Bombers this season. In 3 starts and 12.2 innings, he's been torched for 22 hits and 22 runs and his ERA is 14.21. Before this season, he was 3-0 with an ERA of 0.40! Back in April, he cost the Yanks in a meltdown after he was staked to a 6-0 lead against Josh Beckett. Today, he was bitch-slapped for 9 runs in 5 innings. He surrendered HRs to the weak-hitting Alex Gonzalez, the Nugget Youkilis and the decrepit, steroid-addled Big Sloppy Ortiz. P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.

Alfredo Aceves eventually relieved him in the 6th and fared no better. He allowed Big Nugget to connect for his second dinger of the day and was touched up for 3 runs. Dave Robertson failed miserably in his 1 inning appearance, too, giving up 3 straight doubles after quickly retiring the 1st 2 batters. The Yanks new epidemic lately is allowing runs to score with 2 out. They allowed 13 out of the 14 runs to score with 2 men gone today as they continue to struggle in retiring the elusive third out. It started when they allowed all 10 runs against Seattle last Sunday to score with 2 out, and the theme has continued all week.

Meanwhile, the Yanks allowed another overrated Red Sox rookie pitcher, Junichi Tazawa, to escape out of trouble all day. After blistering the Bosox yesterday by going 15-25 day with RISP, the Yanks came crashing back to earth with an 0-8 performance against Tazawa. Godzilla knocked in 7 runs yesterday, but continued his below par performances against his fellow countryman by leaving 4 men on base today. An Ill-timed strikeout and double play also kept the Yanks off the board against the Tazawa.

Nick Swisher finally broke up the shutout in the 7th with a HR off Peter Gammon's love child, Daniel Bard. He and Robinson Cano had 3 hits apiece - apparently, they didn't get the memo to take the day off after yesterday's hit parade. Let's hope today's pitiful display is not reminiscent of the epic 2004 ALCS collapse after the Yanks buried the Sawx 19-8 and then didn't win a game again.

The Pinstripers blew a golden opportunity to win this series today, with their #2 starter going up against the rookie, Tazawa. I think the boys partied pretty hard at Daisy Buchanan's on Newbury Street. Tomorrow, Crooked Cap goes up against Josh Beckett. I don't like the Yanks chances, especially when it's nationally televised. Their record is abysmal on Fox/ESPN games. Just ask Burnett.

The Captain's hot streak came to an end today, as he went 0-3 and will have to wait till tomorrow to try for hit # 2700. Johnny Damon, as expected, sat out with a bruise on his knee after fouling off a pitch yesterday.

Yankees Record: 77-46