Red Sox Rip Fast-Fading Yankees; Pedroia, Bay Four RBI Each

Bronx, NY (AHN) - Boston slammed New York and its fading postseason hopes Wednesday night with an 11-3 romp on the exploits of two newcomers and hard-hitting Dustin Pedroia at Yankee Stadium.

The Red Sox now only have one more game remaining at the famed "House That Ruth Built" Thursday night.

The reigning World Series champions can add another memorable stint in the famed rivalry with a three-game series sweep.

New York will try to avoid that with 16-game winner Mike Mussina taking the mound opposite Jon Lester.

The Yankees, who haven't missed the playoffs since 1993, were hoping to extend their stint at the stadium come the postseason.

But the thought began to turn sour after Pedroia belted his first career grand slam in the eighth.

That seven-run outburst put Boston ahead for good 11-2.

Not soon after, scores of fans headed to the exits as the Yankees slumped to their second straight defeat to fall 10 games out of the wild-card pace.

New York is coming off a three-game sweep of Baltimore over the weekend and is in dire need of wins to keep pace in the wild-card chase, currently led by Boston with Minnesota not far behind at 2 ? games back.

The Red Sox got plenty of help from two newcomers-left fielder Jason Bay and right-hander Paul Byrd.

Bay, sent to New England as part of the three-team deal that moved Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers, went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, two of those coming in the first inning off Yankees starter Sidney Ponson (7-5).

The Canadian slugger also drilled a run-scoring triple in the eighth after making a sac fly in the fifth. The four runs driven in hiked his total numbers with the Red Sox to 24.

Byrd (9-11) improved to 2-1 since being acquired from Cleveland. He allowed two runs and five hits in six innings in beating the Yankees in yet another crucial juncture of the season.

A right-hander using the old-fashioned windup, Byrd also beat New York in the Indians' series-clinching victory in the ALDS last season.

Boston managed 13 hits, with Pedroia going 3-for-5. Jacoby Ellsbury also had two hits for the Red Sox, who remained 3 ? games of the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays.

Ponson was chased in less than five innings, after giving up four runs and seven hits.

He also walked four in losing for the 13th time in his career against Boston. He has won just three games in 22 starts against the Red Sox with a 6.95 ERA.

Alex Rodriguez bounced back after an 0-for-5 stint in the Yankees' 7-3 defeat Tuesday.

A night after taking the blame for his team's offensive struggles at the plate, A-Rod went 2-for-4 with one RBI, a run-scoring double in the first inning.