Yanks Swept By Sox Despite Joba's 12Ks

The Boston Red Sox are doing a lot better at the new Yankee Stadium than the home team.
       
Jason Bay hit a three-run homer in a four-run first inning against Joba Chamberlain, and the Red Sox beat New York 7-3 Tuesday night for a rainy two-game sweep in the first trip to their rivals' $1.5 billion ballpark.

Boston improved to 5-0 against New York for the first time since 1985 and has outscored the Yankees 38-23. In 1923, the Red Sox lost their first five games at the original Yankee Stadium. New York is 6-5 overall at its new home following three straight losses.

“They outplayed us. They outpitched us. At this point in the season, they are a better team than us,” Johnny Damon said.
       
Chamberlain (1-1) allowed hits to his first five batters, then recovered to strike out a career-high 12 in 5 2-3 innings, including nine looking. But it was too late.

“It was a terrible start,” Chamberlain said. “I definitely let my team down, giving up four in the first.”
       
Josh Beckett (3-2) bounced back from a pair of poor outings and allowed his only runs on Johnny Damon's three-run homer in the third.
       
Before the game, the Yankees put All-Star catcher Jorge Posada on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Boston was without first baseman Kevin Youkilis (tight left side) and lost center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a tight right hamstring in the fourth inning.
       
Many of the most expensive seats again were empty. Just 54 of the 98 first-row Legends Suite seats costing $2,500 were occupied in the first inning, and three of the first nine rows behind the plate were mostly vacant. Later, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, wearing a Yankees jacket, sat just to the third-base side of the plate in one of those front-row seats.

“I know that there wasn't a lot of fans in those sections right behind the dugout,“ AL MVP Dustin Pedroia said. “I don't know why.”
       
Rain began falling when Jose Veras relieved Chamberlain in the sixth, and many of the fans in the Legends Suite cleared out into the three exclusive restaurants and lounges.
       
Pitching a day after his mother was arrested in Nebraska on suspicion of selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer in February, Chamberlain allowed four runs and six hits, becoming the fifth pitcher since 1900 to strike out 12 in 5 2-3 innings or less. The previous one was Philadelphia's Cole Hamels in 5 1-3 innings against Atlanta on July 24, 2006, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Chamberlain struck out nine three times, including last July 25 at Fenway Park. He became the first Yankees pitcher to strike out 12 since Mike Mussina against Seattle on May 7, 2003.