Andy Pettitte pitched the Yankees to their first win of the season and Mariano Rivera made a successful return to the mound in New York's 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.
Clay Buchholz chilled the Yankees' bats, speedy Jackie Bradley Jr. got his first major league hit and the Boston Red Sox beat New York 7-4 on a cold Wednesday night to open a season with consecutive wins for the first time since 1999.
Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox got off to a quick start after a dreadful 2012 season, giving new manager John Farrell an 8-2 win over the barely recognizable New York Yankees on opening day Monday.
The Boston Red Sox fired manager Bobby Valentine on Thursday after one season in which he failed to bring order to a clubhouse that disintegrated during the 2011 pennant race.
Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson each hit a pair of homers, powering the New York Yankees past the Boston Red Sox 14-2 on a raucous Wednesday night in the Bronx for their 13th AL East title in 17 years.
Raul Ibanez tied it with a pinch-hit homer in the ninth inning then had an RBI single in the 12th, helping the Yankees remain a game up on Baltimore in the AL East with one game to go by beating the Boston Red Sox 4-3 on Tuesday night.
Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Russell Martin and Mark Teixeira homered in a nine-run second inning, and the New York Yankees routed the Boston Red Sox 10-2 Monday night to open a one-game lead over Baltimore in the AL East with two games to play.
Derek Jeter tied Willie Mays for 10th place on the career hits list, backing Phil Hughes and helping the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday night to maintain a share of the AL East lead.
Curtis Granderson hit two home runs, Robinson Cano also homered and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Wednesday night to remain tied for first place in the AL East.