Pedro Sox Yanks

To the 34,000-plus at Fenway Park Wednesday night, it was sweet revenge. To Pedro Martinez, it was just another walk in the park. To the Yankees, it was "can't wait til tomorrow's off-day." But in the end, it was the die-hard baseball fan who witnessed a treat in late May. Even though the Yanks only managed 5 hits in their 3-0 loss to the Red Sox, Joe Torre had to be pleased with the performance of Mike Mussina, who continues to fit right in as another Yankee workhorse. Mussina was as equally impressive as Pedro, fanning 11 Sox while retiring 14 straight after giving up the third Boston run. Yet, it was Mussina's three walks that were unusual.

It started in the second inning as Manny Ramirez reached on Scott Brosius' 11th error of the season. "I just missed it. It really was a ball I should have caught," said Brosius, who went 1-for-3, keeping his streak alive of 25 straight games with a hit at Fenway Park. "I have been terrible defensively to this point and I've got to turn it around." Then with 2nd and 3rd, no outs, Brian Daubauch ripped a ground-rule double to right centerfield that dropped between Paul O'Neill, who had 2 of the 5 Yankee hits, and Bernie Williams. That was all Pedro needed as he recorded 13 strikeouts through eight innings and allowed only one runner to reach second base, snapping a personal five game winless streak against the Bronx Bombers. "He does what he wants," said Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. "He throws any pitch at any time to any hitter."

Mussina allowed only four hits through eight innings. "Except for two innings, I thought I threw the ball as well as I did the other day," he said, referring to the Yankees 2-1 win at Yankee Stadium over Pedro just six days earlier. Overall, Mussina went 4-2 with a 2.25 ERA in the month of May, to even his record at 5-5.

Derek Lowe then slammed the door on the Yanks in the 9th, allowing only one base hit by Bernie Williams, and recording his fifth save of the season.

The Yankees still remain one half game ahead of the Red Sox in first place in the A.L. East as they start a 13 game homestand Friday night against the Indians. The next Yankee road game will be June 15 at Shea Stadium against the Mets.