Brian Johnson. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- Alex Cora's Red Sox have the best record in baseball at 75-and-34, good for a five-and-a-half-game lead on the 68-and-38 Yankees.
"We know where we're at, we know where they're at," Cora said. "Just, come out here and play good baseball."
Boston and New York have 10 meetings left in the regular season, but they'll play the first of four at Fenway tonight at 7:10 p.m.
Chris Sale was supposed to start for the Sox. The ace is sidelined with shoulder soreness, so it'll be Brian Johnson instead. The lefty has a 3.45 ERA, but he's only yielded six earned runs in 30 innings as a starter. Johnson worked five-and-two-thirds scoreless last time out against the Twins. Red Sox starters have a 1.55 ERA their last 13 games.
Yanks will counter with C.C. Sabathia. He's 6-0 against the Sox over the last two seasons, but has a 4.84 career ERA in 18 outings at Fenway. Sabathia's allowed 11 runs his last 15-and-a-third frames, so not so good of late. New York leads the season-series 5-4.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Adam Kaufman (@AdamMKaufman) reports