Of course neither the Yankees nor the Red Sox are in first place as they begin a four-game series on Thursday night at the Stadium. Somehow this still feels like the beginning of an abbreviated

Schlitt happens. History did not, but neither did an awful loss, which the Yankees flirted with as much as Cam Schlittler did a perfect game.

New York finished with five home runs Wednesday night and 14 in the series sweep of the Rays, tying a major league record (Reds, 1999) for most homers in a two-game series.

If the Red Sox keep playing like this, though, it threatens to be an awfully short October — assuming they qualify. The Sox dropped another stunner, 4-3, in 11 innings to the Orioles, after leaving the bases loaded in the eighth, ninth, and 10th innings.

So long, Isaiah Campbell. The Red Sox demoted the struggling reliever back down to Worcester ahead of the pivotal series with the Yankees this weekend. Richard Fitts, who has been a starter all season will make his way back up to the big leagues and pitch out of the bullpen.

The Red Sox had won 10 of 12 games and Roman Anthony hit a double in the ninth inning against the Padres to tie the game 4-4. Simmons hit send shortly before the Padres scored in the 10th to win the game. They have dropped seven of 10 games since he tweeted this:

The Red Sox are in the midst of a playoff race and cannot afford to blow games to inferior foes like Baltimore. Thursday’s decision loomed especially large since Cowser fired a poor throw to the plate that likely would have allowed Eaton to score to tie the game.