Kevin Youkilis (1-for-5, 2 RBI) hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, capping off a three-run inning which ultimately gave the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 win over the rival New York Yankees in game one of a three-game weekend set on Friday night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
Adrian Gonzalez (1-for-3, 2 RBI, BB), who hit his eighth home run of the season in the fourth inning (a solo shot), hit a sacrifice fly to score Jacoby Ellsbury (2-for-5) in the seventh, giving the Red Sox (18-20) a 3-2 lead before Youkilis hit his two-run shot to right center field, scoring Dustin Pedroia and giving Boston a three-run cushion.
New York (20-16) ultimately cut the lead to one run in the ninth inning, but Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon (1 I.P., 1 ER, 2 H, 1 K) was able to shut the door with one runner on and the winning run at the plate, forcing Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira to pop out to Youkilis at third, ending the game.
Curtis Granderson (2-for-5, 1 RBI) is credited with the Yankees' comeback, scoring from third base on a wild pitch from Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard (1 I.P., 1 ER, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) in the eighth inning to cut the lead to two and singling to left to plate Derek Jeter in the ninth to cut the deficit to one run.
Gonzalez put the Red Sox on the board first with his fourth inning home-run, and Carl Crawford grounded out to first in the same inning, allowing Youkilis to score from third and giving Boston a 2-0 advantage.
Russell Martin (1-for-4, 2 RBI) tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth inning, blasting a two-run homer to center off of Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz (4-3), who allowed two earned runs on five hits in seven innings while striking out seven batters to earn his fourth win and third in a row.
Former Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon (2-2) started for New York and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits in six innings while striking out four, but it wasn't good enough for the victory.
Boston and New York return to the diamond for game two of the series at 7:10 p.m. EDT on Saturday evening.