Some thought on both news developments:

Yankees 11, Red Sox 3

When Tony Clark Goes Black, it Doesn't Come Back: Congratulations to the Yankees' back-up first baseman and real Tony C. on crushing a ball into the black seats for only the 23rd time in the remodeled Yankee Stadium's history. Let's not forget the efforts of Derek Lowe, who threw it hard enough to travel some 450 feet to dead center. My favorite part, though, was seeing that Red Sox fan run out of the right-field bleachers to retrieve the ball — a ball that, again, our back-up first baseman just tanked off his favorite team — and lose it to a Yanks fan. Way to go, McSuckly.

Derek Lowe: 6-6 Tall, 6-7 Record: Remember how this was supposed to be Boston's year because it had three superb starters, enough to match or even better the Yankees in the postseason? Well Schilling and Pedro have been great — 18-7 combined, each with ERAs in the 3's. Then you have Lowe, at 6-7 and a Richter scale-like 5.47 ERA. Top three total: 24-14. The rest of the team is 20-19, not terrible, really, for pitchers outside your top three. The Yankees' top three — Mussina, Brown and Vasquez — are 25-10, with the rest of the staff going 23-16.

Loss Column: Five, Seven or Nine? When the Red Sox leave the Bronx after Thursday night's finale of the three-game series, they'll be either five, seven or nine games behind the Yankees in the loss column. Given a 50-50 chance for either team to win either remaining game, the Yankees have a 66.7% chance of being at least seven games up in the loss column after Thursday. Betcha didn't know I was good at math.

What, No Beanballs? It was nice to ream the Sox for once without Jeter getting hit on the hands or someone else being buzzed in the head. Thanks, Boston. Loved seeing Pedro yuk it up with the fans behind the Boston dugout when the game was out of reach. I don't remember Derek Jeter doing that in April, but he kinda cares about winning.

Sox Ain't Done: No less of an authority on winning than George M. Steinbrenner III said that this series cannot bury the Red Sox: "They're a great team, believe me; a great team." As flat as the 100% healthy Crap Sox looked on Tuesday, they'll still pose a formidable challenge down the road. Perhaps they, as well as the Cubs, need time to find their groove, just as it took the Yankees a few weeks after the start of the season. Would be better, of course, if they were still looking for their groove when the Yanks, White Sox, Angels and A's play in the postseason.

Fight Night: Ran into a nearly incoherent, drunk guy in an Upper West Side pizza shop, who'd just gotten back from the game and said, "There were a lot of fights." I'll say it again: if you can't go to a baseball game and not get into a fight, you're a loser.

---

Carl Pavano Kicks Alyssa Milano to the Curb: I'd heard the rumor. I'd hoped and prayed it was true. I even stood outside an NYC bar thinking, there's no way I'd have a girlfriend if I was a professional athlete. And then I read this news story that contained the following quote from Pavano:

"I came into it as a bachelor. I enjoy the life, doing my own thing," he said. "I don't think this is the most stable environment to have a relationship. Guys that do it, great, but I haven't really mastered that part of it. I have plenty of time. I'm still young. I have time to make those steps."

Now what hobbies might a bachelor have that would be stymied by the presence a girlfriend? Oh, that's right, having sex with a shitload of women. He might as well have said, "Ladies, I'm a man whore, and I'm in Atlanta through Thursday, then back home in Miami till July 11."

Today's Sports Links:

• Pro Wrestler/NFL Wannabe Brock Lesner Hates Gays — In an ESPN.com feature, the WWE wrestler is quoted as saying, "I don't like gays. Write that down in your little notebook. I don't like gays." The WWE markets to kids, right? Think they'll do anything? Is it wrong for me to hope he suffers a severe neck injury? 'Cause I really wouldn't care if he did.

• 2004 Win Shares Table — If you can figure all these stats out, it's supposed to be a ranking of players who have the most effect on their teams' success. Not sure if this was before A-Rod, who will win the gold glove at third base this year, stole his 17th base of the season Tuesday night.

• Paparazzi Stalks Diana Taurasi Just To Be Nice — A hilarious take on the popularity, or lack thereof, of the WNBA from The Brushback.com.

• 43-Year-Old Fernando Valenzuela to Pitch in Mexico — Someone get me a current picture of this dude, pronto. I have a large monitor, and I have a feeling I'm gonna need it.