On the Yankees beat

Mike Gavin here for another night of Yankee baseball.

Nothing captures the intensity of baseball's pennant races better than a late-September series between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Which is why tonight's game has such an unusual feel.

The Yankees haven't played a meaningful baseball game since the Red Sox clinched the wild card berth. Although the Sox still have an outside shot of winning the AL East, the postseason fate of each team has already been determined, eliminating the significance that schedule makers originally anticipated for the series.

Nevertheless, the games must go on, and Yanks/Sox is always worth watching despite the significance. Alfredo Aceves (1-0), who is making a bid to secure a spot in the 2009 rotation, opposes Daisuke Matsuzaka (18-2) and his impressive 2.80 ERA.

First pitch is just minutes away....(Mother Nature may have a thing or two to say about that).

7:05 -- As expected, the tarp is on the field, and the game won't be starting on time, if at all. Lets hope they can get this one in.....

8:30 -- A little late, but we are ready to play some ball.....

Top of the 1st -- David Pauley replaces Dick-K as tonight's starting pitcher. He allowed an RBI-single to Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod driving in runs when it counts as usual. Yankees 1, Red Sox 0.

Bottom of the 1st -- Not a good start for Aceves. He allowed two long fly balls, one off the foul pole and the other off the light tower over the Green Monster. A solo shot for Ellsbury, and a two-run homer for Youkilis. Red Sox 3, Yankees 1.

Top of the 2nd -- This one has the making of a slug fest. Gardner drove in Nady with a fielders-choice, and Damon followed with a two-run homer that just eluded the outfield wall. Yankees 4, Red Sox 3.

Bottom of the 2nd -- Aceves settled down, allowing only a single to Ellsbury.

Top of the 3rd -- The Yanks put three more runs on the board after a Cano sac-fly and a two-run single for Gardner. Yankees 7, Red Sox 3.

Bottom of the 3rd -- Aceves puts another zero on the scoreboard.

Top of the 4th -- The Yanks are hitting as if the division is on the line. Cody Ransom led-off with a home run, Cano had a two-run double, and Moeller and Gardner each had an RBI. Yanks have scored in every inning thus far. Yankees 12, Red Sox 3.

Bottom of the 4th -- The Red Sox pick up a run on a Velazquez single. Yankees 12, Red Sox 4.

Top of the 5th -- Ransom, doing his best Mickey Mantle impression, hit his second homer of the night just before the umpire called for the tarp once again. Seems like they were desperately trying to get through five innings to make this one official. I wonder how many fans will wait it out during a nine run game? Yankees 13, Red Sox 4.

11:05 -- The tarp is off the field and the action has resumed. Yanks go down quickly and quietly in the fifth. Three more outs and this game is official.

Bottom of the 5th -- Red Sox pick up another run on a Van Every fielders-choice. This game is now official, should there be any more rain delays. Yankees 13, Red Sox 5.

Top of the 6th -- Nothing doing for the Yanks.

Bottom of the 6th -- The inning came to an end after Kevin Cash got hit by a batted ball while he was advancing from second to third.

Top of the 7th -- Yankees added to their lead after Betemit hit an RBI-double and Giambi drove in a run on a fielder's choice. Cano collected his fourth RBI of the night with a double to left. If Cano had played as well as he is tonight for the first 159 games, the Yanks might have actually been playing for something tonight. Yankees 16, Red Sox 5.

Bottom of the 7th -- Sox go down 1-2-3.

Top of the 8th -- Abreu picks up RBI number 100 as he hits a sac-fly to score yet another run. Yanks have scored in every inning but the sixth. Yankees 17, Red Sox 5.

Bottom of the 8th -- Bailey singles but the rally falls short.

Top of the 9th -- Yanks collect their 19th run and 20th hit of the night. Cano singled for his fifth RBI, and another un scored on Moeller's double-play ball. The Yankees scored in eight of nine innings and set a season high for runs and hits. Yankees 19, Red Sox 5.

Bottom of the 9th -- Congratulations to the 2008 AL East Champions, the Tampa Bay Rays. The Sox put up three runs but fell just short. With the loss, Tampa clinches their first ever division title. Heading into the season, who would have thought that a game between New York and Boston in late September would determine the winner of the AL East, and it would be neither the Yankees or the Red Sox. Final Score: Yankees 19. Red Sox 8.