Preview: Yankees vs Red Sox (9/8/13)

The last time the Yankees take on the Red Sox in the Bronx this season has Hiroki Kuroda (11-10, 2.99 ERA) taking on Jon Lester (13-8, 3.88 ERA.) Kuroda has seen his ERA rise from 2.33 on August 12 to 2.99 nearly a month later, giving up 23 runs in his last 23 innings. His struggles seemed to begin in his last start against Boston on August 17, when he gave up five runs on 11 hits over 5 2/3. He surrendered four runs in 6 1/3 innings in his last outing against the White Sox, which encouraged Joe Girardi. "I thought his stuff was better tonight," Girardi said. "The top of the order has been tough on him, and they were tough on him again tonight. But I thought his stuff was better, and that's a good sign for me."

With his cutter in vintage form, Lester has gone six straight games in which he's allowed three earned runs or fewer -- a streak he's only beaten once, a nine-game stretch of brilliance in 2009.

The Red Sox have won each of their three series in the Bronx this year, just the third time they have done so in New York ( 1912 & '13, and 1975).

David Robertson, Boone Logan and Shawn Kelley are all suffering from injuries, leaving the Yankees bullpen thin for Sunday's series finale. Girardi said he's OK throwing inexperienced pitchers at the Red Sox. "That's a little bit different of a feeling," Girardi said. "But I have confidence in the guys that they can go out and get the job done, or I don't think they would be here. My belief is they can get it done."

Notes on the game.

Nine of Brett Gardner's last 14 hits have gone for extra bases (seven doubles and two triples).

Derek Jeter left Saturday's game because of an issue near his surgically repaired left ankle. X-Rays were negative.

First pitch at 1:05 PM on Yes and TBS