Of course neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox are in first place as they begin a four-game series on Thursday night at the Stadium. Somehow this still feels like the beginning of an abbreviated

New York finished with five home runs Wednesday night and 14 in the series sweep of the Rays, tying a major league record (Reds, 1999) for most homers in a two-game series.

The Red Sox and the Yankees begin an important series against one another Thursday in New York. Both teams are five games back of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East standings, but the series is a chance for either team to make some headway between second and third place.

Schlitt happens. History did not, but neither did an awful loss, which the Yankees flirted with as much as Cam Schlittler did a perfect game.

Recently, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred noted that the league could realign geographically. FOX Sports outlined a plan that would group four major teams.

Schlittler struck out Simpson, the Rays' leadoff man, looking at a 97-mph fastball on the inside corner to start a 1-2-3, 11-pitch bottom half and he made it six-up, six-down with an 11-pitch second, striking out Feduccia swinging at a 99-mph fastball to end the inning. Schlittler was at just 66 pitches through six.

The Red Sox are in the midst of a playoff race and cannot afford to blow games to inferior foes like Baltimore. Thursday’s decision loomed especially large since Cowser fired a poor throw to the plate that likely would have allowed Eaton to score to tie the game.

So long, Isaiah Campbell. The Red Sox demoted the struggling reliever back down to Worcester ahead of the pivotal series with the Yankees this weekend. Richard Fitts, who has been a starter all season will make his way back up to the big leagues and pitch out of the bullpen.