Offense sizzles, pitchers fizzle for the Sox

It started out with the two American League East heavyweights taking that distinction literally, trading offensive haymakers as if this were some sort of slow-pitch softball game.

There was no reason to think that trend would stop at any point in Wednesday's night's game, not when the Red Sox and Yankees -- rivals always -- had combined for 20 runs over the first five innings.

But when the scoring finally slowed down for a while, it was the Yankees who had the lead, and they held it. In fact, they added on, downing the Sox by a score of 15-9 in the opener of this two-game series.

With Chien-Ming Wang firing a two-hitter against the Sox five days earlier in Boston and Clay Buchholz also reeling off a strong performance in that one, there was no reason to believe the rematch would go like this. But both starters were gone early this time, victims to the heavy hitters on both sides.

Buchholz didn't have much, giving up eight hits and seven runs over 3 2/3 innings. The Red Sox were able to stay in it only because Wang, the Yankees' ace, was equally shaky, allowing nine hits and eight runs over four-plus innings.

With the game locked in a 3-3 tie, the Yankees jumped all over Buchholz in the fourth. Chad Moeller was fortuitous, dropping a broken-bat bloop double down the line in left to get a run home. Derek Jeter knocked Buchholz out of the game, rifling a line single to right to make it 6-3. On came Julian Tavarez, and the Yankees made it a four-run lead on a wild pitch.

But on a night like this, a four-run deficit was nothing. The Red Sox certainly made it look like nothing when they again got to Wang in the fifth. With two on and none out, Manny Ramirez roped an RBI single up the middle. Kevin Youkilis loaded the bases with a single and J.D. Drew got the Sox within one on a two-run single to center that knocked Wang out. Sean Casey tied it up at 7 with an RBI single to center against Ross Ohlendorf. Jacoby Ellsbury kept the rally alive with a two-out walk, setting up Dustin Pedroia's second hit of the inning, a two-run single that gave the Red Sox their first lead since the top of the first.

But Boston's lead was gone in a hurry as Tavarez couldn't hold down the Yankees. Jorge Posada got New York within one on an RBI double and Robinson Cano tied it up yet again on an RBI single. The Red Sox tried to get out of the inning on a grounder to first by Melky Cabrera. Casey fired to second for the force, but Julio Lugo made a wild throw to first for an error that allowed two runs to score on the play and give the Yankees an 11-9 lead. In all, the teams scored 10 runs in that one inning.

It's still early in the season and the teams are tied in the Division now with both teams posting a 9-7 record. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night with a 7:05 start. The Red Sox will have their ace, Josh Beckett on the hill while the Yankees, Mike Mussina with have the start. Beckett looked like he was back from his back problems he was facing in the Spring and at the beginning of the season. The Sox got the best of Mussina in his first outing against them earlier this month, so let's see what the game stores for the Red Sox.