Varitek Joining Martinez, Rest of Team, on DL

Just as the Mets have received some helpful news with Utley going on the DL with Polanco, the Yankees are finding that the injury fairy has been even kinder to them this year.

With a DL list that already includes Dustin Pedroia, Josh Beckett, Victor Martinez, Clay Bucholz, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jeremy Hermida and Mike Lowell, the Boston Red Sox announced today that Jason Varitek will be sidlelined for 5-6 weeks with a broken foot.

Since their lineup is decimated, the Red Sox will be relying heavily on their pitching to keep them in ballgames.

Given that the Yankees are relatively healthy right now, one would hope they could separate themselves from the Red Sox by four or five games by the end of July.

With the mercurial Devil Rays possibly imploding at any moment, the month of July could be a big one for the Yankees.

Sabathia, Yanks Avoid Three Game Sweep to Mariners

Whew... That was close. Getting swept is bad, but for it to happen to the Mariners, a team who's season is already on life support, would be downright embarrassing.

Enter Sabathia. After watching Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez baffle Yankees hitters the past two nights, CC dominated, throwing 8 innings and giving up only 1 earned run as the Yanks won 4-2. Mo finished off with a scoreless ninth and received his 18th save of the season.

The Yankees' bats also finally woke up, as A-Rod hit a huge two-run home-run in the bottom of the eighth after the Mariners tied it up in the top half of the inning.

With the victory, the Yankees have temporarily extended their AL East lead to 1.5 games over the Red Sox.

New York Yankees Blanked by the King (No, Not That King)

Considering all the talk about King James in New York right now, it was only fitting that King Felix would want a little attention, as well. I mean, he is royalty after all.

Well, he made it onto the back-pages today by throwing a complete game shutout with 11 K's against the Yankees to help the Mariners win their second straight game against the defending champs, 7-0.

Javy Vazquez actually pitched decently again (continuing his dubious streak of pitching well against some of the worst hitting teams in the Majors), but with the bats dormant and the bullpen falling apart, the Yanks never really had a chance or even mounted a comeback.