The Yankees, as they traditionally have the last few years, continue to struggle in their first couple series against the Red Sox, this time falling on the short end of a 6–4 contest. Phil Hughes was disappointing in his second big league outing of the season, allowing 4 runs and putting 11 batters on base in just four innings.

The Sox scored one run in each of the first four innings of the game. In the first inning, Dustin Pedroia scored on a passed ball. In the second, Mike Lowell put one into the left field seats for a solo home run. Lowell added an RBI single in the 3rd, and David Ortiz doubled in Jacoby Ellsbury in the 4th to put Boston up 4–0.

The Yankees were pretty flat throughout the first half of the game, but did begin to show some signs of life in the 5th. After Joe Girardi was thrown out of the game for arguing balls and strikes (he came out after Derek Jeter began to argue a called third strike), the Yankees responded by back-to-back home runs by Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira to pull the Yankees to within 4–3.

The Red Sox made it 6–3 after Jason Bay put one into the seats for a two-run homer off of Alfredo Aceves. Aceves was actually not bad in his first Yankee appearance of the season, doing what he was brought up to do — pick up a starter after a shaky outing and give the Yankees some good long relief from the pen. Aceves allowed 4 hits in 4 and 1/3 innings and struck out 7.

The Yankees inched closer again with yet another home run from Mark Teixeira (he hit one from both sides of the plate) made it 6–4. That was as close as the Yankees would get, though, as Jonathan Papelbon was brought in and converted on a five-out save opportunity. The Yanks did put the tying run in scoring position in the 9th, but Robinson Cano was struck out swinging with the bases loaded to end the game.

Joe Girardi seemed to place some of the blame for Phil Hughes' rough start on something other than Phil Hughes' rough start. After being asked a few questions during the post-game press conference about having been tossed from the game (he said he didn't like the calls all night), Girardi then answered a question about Hughes' performance by saying that "There were a few things I didn't like" about the first four innings and then saying "And I don't mean from Phil Hughes." Girardi could also have been referring to Red Sox first base coach Tim Bogar, who as Peter Abraham points out, was accused by Girardi of stealing signs. It's good to see a manager sticking up for his players, but Hughes was not good tonight.

We'll see if any of this boils over tomorrow night. The Yanks will try to salvage one game in this short series at 7:05 ET as Joba Chamberlain will take the mound against Josh Beckett.

Recap records: Patrick: 8–2, Seamus: 4–7, Andrew: 1–3