The Yankees and Red Sox will resume their bitter rivalry with a 3-game weekend series at Fenway Park this weekend.  After the Red Sox won the 1st 8 games of the series in 2009 – with sweeps in April, May and June – the Red Sox sent the reeling Red Sox to a 6th consecutive loss just 12 days ago when the Yankees swept the Red Sox in a 4-game weekend set at the New Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.  The Yankees outscored the Red Sox 25-8 in the series, as only 1 of the games – a 15-inning 2-0 marathon on Friday night – was really close.  That sweep pushed the Red Sox back further in the race for the AL East, and the Yankees still have a commanding 6 1/2 games lead for the division title.

The pitching match-ups favor the Yankees right now.  Brad Penny v. Andy Petitte on Friday night; A.J. Burnett v. Junichi Tazawa on Saturday afternoon with the FOX game of the week; and CC Sabathia v. Josh Beckett on ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.  With those match-ups, you gotta think the Yankees will win at least 2 of the games, but I guess anything is possible.  If the Red Sox don’t get off to a good start on Friday night, it could be a long weekend for Red Sox Nation in Boston…