The set-up: The New York Yankees found themselves 7 1/2 games behind the Red Sox on April 20. Boston's 17-2 run allowed them to seize control of the American League East early on However, Boston's gone 8-9 since that blistering start, while the Yankees have utilized a 17-1 run to take over the top spot in the division (a 2-1 loss to Houston on April 30 being the only blemish). The Yankees now look to make it 18 of 19 and complete a three-game sweep of the Red Sox when the American League East rivals meet Thursday in the Bronx. Stanton's two HRs led the way to a 3-2 win on Tuesday and last night, Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge combined for six hits, six runs and five RBI, including four on consecutive hits - Gardner's two-run triple and Judge's two-run homer - against Boston closer Craig Kimbrel in an eighth-inning rally that lifted New York to a 9-6 victory. "They're playing good baseball," Kimbrel said. You think? Beside the 17-1 run, the Yankees are on their second eight-game winning streak of the season and their 11-game home winning streak is the longest since a 12-game run from April 25-June 1, 1985.
The pitching matchup: It's a battle of lefties on Thursday, as Eduardo Rodriguez (3-0, 5.29 ERA) goes for the Red Sox, opposed by CC Sabathia (2-0, 1.39 ERA) of the Yankees. Rodriguez posted three straight quality starts in the middle of April but has given up five runs in each of his last two outings. He struck out 10 in six innings but served up three HRs in his last start Saturday at Texas. He is 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA in nine starts against the Yankees. Sabathia is coming off a successful 2017, when the Yankees went 19-8 in his 27 starts, giving him MLB's 4th-best moneyline mark at plus-$1163. He is 2-0 with a 0.39 ERA in four starts since coming off the disabled list April 19 (Yankees are 4-0), including six scoreless innings and a season-high seven strikeouts against Cleveland on Friday (he got a no-decision in NY's 7-6 win). He has not allowed a HR in each of those four starts and has issued only three walks over his last five outings. The 37-year-old is 17-13 with a 4.12 ERA lifetime versus the Red Sox.

The pick: The Yanks are on quite a roll and it's impossible to ignore the fact that Sabathia is unbeaten in his last 14 regular-season starts (going back to Aug. 19 of last year). During his second-longest unbeaten streak he is 7-0 with a 2.29 ERA, although the Yankees are 10-4 in those 14. Sabathia will be opposed by Boston's Rodriguez, who seen the Red Sox go 6-0 in his 2018 starts (his plus-$600 moneyline mark is tied with the Yanks' Severino for the best among all starters). Rodriguez's 2.96 career ERA in nine career starts vs. the Yankees is also quite impressive. Take the 1 1/2 runs and make Boston an 8* play.