White Sox Swept, Bring On Red Sox

So here's what Ivan Nova did in last night's start for the Yankees, on the road against the Chicago White Sox: 7 2/3 innings, 1 run, 6 hits, no walks (2 of my favorite words in the English language), 10 strikeouts. Winning pitcher, 10-4. ERA for the season, 3.81 -- not bad at all for the American League.

David Robertson got the last out in the 8th. The Yankees scored 3 in the 9th, removing the possibility of an entrance Sandman, and Hector Noesi allowed Adam Dunn to awaken from his slumber with a home run.

But Robinson Cano and Russell Martin both hit home runs (Martin's accounting for the Yanks' 3 in the 9th), and the final score was Yankees 7, White Sox 2. Ex-Met Philip Humber took the loss for the South Siders (8-8).

That's a 4-game sweep on the road, and 7 straight wins.

Now, the Yankees fly into Scum Town to face The Scum.

Red Sox fans hate the Yankees the way the Republicans hate the Democrats.

Well, I hate the Red Sox almost as much as I hate Republicans. Politics trumps sports: I could have lived with it if Boston had swept the 2 big events of the fall of 2004; alas, John Kerry decided he'd rather be a gentleman than be President.

New England: Love the politicians, hate the sports teams. Cheating bastards.

As I said yesterday, presuming the teams keep to the suggestions on MLB.com, and rain doesn't futz up the schedule, the pitchers for the Boston series will be as follows:

Friday, 7:10, on YES: Bartolo Colon vs. Jon Lester.

Saturday, 4:10, on Fox: CC Sabathia vs. John Lackey. The Yankee starter being the Beast From Vallejo's Fathoms and the Sox starter not being the proverbial pitcher the Yankees have never seen before should offset the fact that it's a Fox game.

Sunday, 8:05, on ESPN: Freddy Garcia vs. Josh Beckett. The Sox starting Super Punk against us in a nationally-televised game? In the immortal words of soccer legend Kevin Keegan, "I would loove it if we beat them, loove it!"

And, since the Sox lost to Cleveland last night, the Yanks and Sox go into this series... tied. Tied for first place in the American League East. Hey, that means I can cite the Magic Number again.

Time to beat The Scum. Beat 'em like a rented mule. No mercy. Enough is enough!

Jeter hits 3027 DONE
Rivera saves 587 14
A-Rod homers 626 137
A-Rod hits 2762 238
Magic Number 53 (to eliminate Scum, 43 for Rays, 40 for Jays, 31 for O's)