Watchdog

Sunday night's Yanks-Bosox tilt on ESPN was the highest-rated "Sunday Night Baseball" game of the season, attracting 3.3 percent of homes that have ESPN and an estimated 4.23 million people.

It surpassed the previous high, which was a 3.2 and 4.13 million viewers July 6 . . . for a Yanks-Bosox game.

That one surpassed the previous high, which was a 3.1 and 3.90 million viewers April 13 . . . for a Yanks-Bosox game.

Thus ends today's lesson in baseball TV scheduling. Rule 1: Schedule the Yankees against the Red Sox as often as possible.