In the end, the battle between two old pitchers was decided by two old reliable Yankees.

Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling turned back the hands of time through six-plus innings, but Derek Jeter launched a three-run homer off Schilling in the eighth to snap a 1-1 tie and Mariano Rivera pitched through a sweaty ninth as the Yankees edged the Red Sox 4-3 on a Sunday night in Beantown.  The victory gave the Yanks two out of three against their arch-rivals over the weekend and keeps them 2.5 games ahead of the surging Tigers in the wild card chase.

Derek Jeter.  The Captain has made a habit of getting big hits in big spots in his career and he showed on Sunday that he hasn't lost that magic touch.  Jeter's three-run shot over the Green Monster came with two outs and crushed Boston's and Schilling's spirit.  It was a total win/win.  It was also DJ's second straight game with a home run.  Captain Clutch finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and 3 huge RBIs.

Roger Clemens.  The Rocket looked a lot better than I thought he would after receiving a cortisone shot for his barking right elbow.  This season has been a rough one for Clemens, but he's showing that maybe it's the competitive fire, and not the fastball, that's the last thing to go.  He worked quickly and efficiently and could have had an opportunity to pick up a win if not for an error by Johnny Damon in the first.  Still, if Clemens can pitch like this for the Yanks the rest of the way, the team should be in good shape for their playoff push and beyond.  Rocket's no decision looked like this: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R (unearned), 3 BB, 4 K.  Welcome back to the fold, Roger.

Doug Mientkiewicz.  Dougie picked up two hits on Sunday night and began the Yankees three-run rally with a one-out single to left, but his defense is why I'm placing him in my "good" category.  He made some snazzy plays at first which kept the pitcher's duel in tact.  He may be the most ungraceful first baseman to ever win the Gold Glove, but he gets the job done.  Mientkiewicz finished 2 for 3 with a run scored.

The Bad:

Johnny Damon.  Damon dropped a fly ball in the bottom of the first which led to an unearned run for the Red Sox.  It looked like Johnny D lost the ball in the lights, but he's got make that catch.  Damon finished 0 for 4 and left three runners on base.

The Ugly:

Gary Coleman and Bozo the Clown.  Sunday night baseball means listening to Joe Morgan and Jon Miller on ESPN.  It also means listening to nonsense, hyperbole and gibberish.  Case in point: in the Yankees three-run eighth, Jason Giambi smacked a ball high off the Green Monster with Mientkiewicz on first and one out. Mientkiewicz easily made it to third and wasn't thinking about coming home, but Jacoby Ellsbury threw toward the plate which allowed the slow-footed Giambi to take second base.  Joe Morgan stated that Ellsbury made a good play in getting the ball in.  How?  He turned a first and third, one out situation into a second and third situation.  It destroyed the Red Sox chances at an inning-ending double-play.  Ridiculous.

The Yanks return home on Monday and welcome in the Baltimore Orioles for a three-game set.  Game 1 features a match-up of Daniel Cabrera (9-16, 5.37 ERA) and Phil Hughes (3-3, 4.91 ERA).  His stats may not show it, but Cabrera has good stuff and shut down the Yankees on Aug. 14 at The Stadium (6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R).  Hughes is coming off a win in Toronto, but has yet to record a victory in the Bronx.

The time has come to pop your cherry, Phil.