BOSTON - The Yankees whacked the Braves over the weekend but failed to pick up ground on the Blue Jays, who swept their own series against the Tigers.
Monday night presented a rare opportunity -- rare in the last month, anyway. The Blue Jays, gasp, lost.
But the Yankees could not capitalize, as an offense that scored 38 runs in three games in Atlanta went cold in the clutch in a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox in front of 36,148 at Fenway Park.
The Yankees (72-58), who had 21 hits in Sunday's 20-6 victory over the Braves and went 12-for-21 with runners in scoring position, had 10 hits and eight walks Monday night but stranded 14.