RED SOX RECOVER FOR WIN

They fell behind early, but the outcome was the same for the second day in a row. Boston staff ace Josh Beckett gave up three first inning runs to the host Yankees, but his teammates picked him up for a 6-4 victory in the Bronx.

Kevin Youkilis delivered a two-run triple in the third inning to tie the score and Mike Lowell smashed a three-run homer in the fifth inning to put the Red Sox in front for good. That and help from four relief pitchers over the final three innings allowed Beckett to pick up his eighth win of the season. Jonathan Papelbon picked up his 25th save in the process.

Beckett looked out of sync early. He gave up three runs on two hits and a walk. A-Rod delivered the big hit for the home team with a two-run double, which got the 4th of July crowd charged up early. However, Beckett settled himself and kept the Yankees off the board over the next five innings. He left the game allowing just four hits and struck out four batters.

That allowed the Red Sox bats to strike back. Boston left the bases loaded in the first inning without scoring a run. However, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia got the visitors back in it with a pair of singles to start the third inning. Manny Ramirez walked with one-out to load the bases. Mike Lowell followed with a sac fly to plate Ellsbury and then it got interesting.

Youkilis stepped in against Yankees starting pitcher Darrell Rasner. He sent a long fly ball towards left field where Johnny Damon was racing back. Damon leaped and appeared to make a circus catch as he crashed into the wall. However, while Damon was sprawled on the ground the ball had popped out of his glove and was dancing on top of the leftfield wall. Eventually the ball dropped back into play allowing Pedroia and Ramirez to score while Youk raced to third base. Damon left the game with an injury and the Sox were back in business.

In the fifth inning the Red Sox took the lead for good. Pedroia and Ramirez were at first and second with one out. Lowell stepped to the plate and smashed a 2-1 fastball over the leftfield wall for a three-run homer. It was Lowell's 13th of the season and his four runs driven in on the afternoon it took his total to 53 on the season.

But the game was hardly over with Beckett leaving the game after the sixth inning having thrown 102 pitches. That left the game in the hands of a struggling Boston bullpen.

First Hideki Okajima tried his hand. He allowed a singled and a walk to make things interesting immediately. He got a groundout, but then walked Derek jeter to load the bases. Okajima got Bobby Abreu to pop up for the second out and Manny Delcarmen entered the game. Delcarmen got A-Rod to hit into an inning nding fielders choice to escape the jam.

A 1 hr and 28 min rain delay came and went and Delcarmen went out to pitch the eighth. He proceeded to give up a leadoff walk. However, Delcarmen got Jorge Posada to fly out to centerfield. Javy Lopez then entered the game to face Abreu. It took one pitch as Abreu hit a line drive to Youkilis at first who tagged the bag to double up Jason Giambi to end the inning. Papelbon came in a gave up a rbi double to Jeter, but then slammed the door shut on the Yankees hopes of a comeback.

That's two in a row at the Bronx for the Red Sox. Hey, they are not exactly on fire, but it sure beats the alternative.