CC Sabathia did not start out that great but finished very strong to lead the Yankees to a 5-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday afternoon in the Bronx. The game was nationally televised on FOX as their game of the week.

In the second inning Sabathia fell behind Victor Martinez and came inside with a fast ball and Martinez crushed it to left to give the Boston an early 1-0 lead. Adrian Beltre and Mike Lowell followed with consecutive doubles to make the score 2-0 but Sabathia battled and got out of the inning without any further trouble.

The Yankees battled back when Lance Berkman walked and scored on a triple to right center from Curtis Granderson. Granderson would score on an infield ground out from Ramiro Pena. Pena was in the lineup to replace A-Rod who was hit in the shin with a line drive during batting practice. X-Rays were negative on A-Rod and he is being listed as day to day.

In the fifth, the Yankees would have a two run, two out rally with consecutive singles from Swisher, Texeira, Cano and Posada. In the sixth, Pena produced another RBI with a sharp single to right to give the Yankees a comfortable three run lead. Granderson scored on the play as he was walked and stole second and took third on an errant throw.

Sabathia pitched through the eighth inning and had very little trouble after the second inning. He was able to strike out David Ortiz three times and only surrendered one walk for the day.

Rivera entered in the ninth and pitched a perfect inning. Victor Martinez led off and hit a sharp grounder down the first base line which Texiera was able to glove and threw to Mo covering for the first out. Beltre flied out deep in foul territory in right field and then Mike Lowell hit a fly ball of the end of the bat to right center which Granderson caught to end the game.

The save for Rivera is his 23rd of the season in 25 save opportunities and the 549th of his career. His 2010 season ERA now stands at 0.89.

With the win and another Tampa loss the Yankee lead in the A.L. East now stands at 1 1/2 games. The series with Boston resumes tomorrow night on ESPN with Josh Beckett for the Red Sox and A.J. Burnett on the hill for New York.

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