Major League Baseball

Matsui powers Yanks to 20-spot vs. Red Sox

Published Aug. 22, 2009 7:58 a.m. ET

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The Yankees' best offensive game in more than two years began with another leadoff hit for Derek Jeter. It ended with four runs in the ninth inning.

Rout time

The Yankees' recent domination of the Red Sox, including Friday's 20-11 win, reminds us of some other notorious New York beatdowns of Boston.

Slugging from start to finish, New York beat the Boston Red Sox by a seemingly comfortable 20-11 margin on Friday night. But with the short Green Monster in left field and the Red Sox mounting comeback after comeback, the Yankees were relieved to take the opener of the three-game series.

"That was an uncomfortable 20 to whatever it was game," Jeter said, "because you get a couple of guys on base (and) you pepper that wall and it could be a whole new game."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi wasn't taking anything for granted, even after Hideki Matsui homered twice and drove in a career-high seven runs, Alex Rodriguez went 4 for 4 and Jeter went 3 for 6, actually lowering his batting average over an 11-game stretch to .543 (25 for 46). New York also led 12-1 after 4 1/2 innings.

But Jason Varitek and Mike Lowell homered in Boston's four-run ninth.

"When we ended the ninth," Girardi said, "I felt pretty good."

New York's 20 runs and 23 hits were its most since it had 21 runs and 25 hits against Tampa Bay on July 22, 2007. The 20 runs also were the most allowed by the Red Sox since the Yankees scored 22 on June 19, 2000, at Fenway Park.

This year, the Red Sox had won the first eight games between the rivals before the Yankees swept a four-game series at home from Aug. 6-9. None of that mattered Friday night.

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