New York Yankees catcher Francisco Cervelli (L) and Boston Red Sox Jacoby Ellsbury watch Ellsbury's three-run home run in the fourth inning of their MLB American League baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts August 6, 2011.BRIAN SNYDER
Jacoby Ellsbury homered and drove in a career-high six runs as the Boston Red Sox continued their dominance of CC Sabathia with a 10-4 victory over the visiting New York Yankees on Saturday.
Carl Crawford, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Dustin Pedroia each drove in a run for Boston, which ended the Yankees' eight-game winning streak. The Red Sox bounced back after Friday's loss knocked them out of first place in the American League East for the first time since July 6.
Ellsbury, who helped Boston to its ninth in 11 meetings with the Yankees, became the first Red Sox leadoff hitter to drive in six runs since Ellis Burks in 1987.
The Red Sox continue to hammer Sabathia (16-6), who entered as one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. The lefthander allowed a season-high seven runs and nine hits in six innings, falling to 0-4 with a 7.20 ERA versus Boston this season.
Sabathia unravelled in the fourth when Crawford and Marco Scutaro each drove in a run before Ellsbury capped the five-run frame with a three-run homer - a towering shot that just cleared the right field wall and gave Boston a 7-2 lead.
Ellsbury, who had a pair of walk-off hits earlier this week, extended the lead to 9-4 with a two-run single in the eighth.
John Lackey (10-8) labored through six innings for his fifth straight winning decision. The righthander allowed three runs and six hits while throwing 115 pitches.