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The Boston Red Sox might lead the AL East, might be topping most power rankings around the web, but after the New York Yankees became the first team in MLB history to hit three Grand Slam home runs in a single game, beating the Oakland Athletics 22-9, well, you gotta be a bit intimidated. And Alex Rodriguez is back, although still in trouble with the league.

The Yankees have a tiny edge over the Red Sox in the hitting department – more runs, more home runs and a tiny lead in OBP and OPS. Still, the injuries and mostly the rotation problems do make the Boston Red Sox look a bit more intimidating right now. Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Russell Martin – one to bring the team back, one to get the lead and one to get the record.

The Yankees pitching wasn’t exactly stellar. Phil Hughes gave up six runs in 2.2 innings, getting his ERA up to an awful 6.46. The rest of the guys didn’t really stop the flood, just reduce its flow. Boone Logan was decent enough to get the win (4-2, 2.67 ERA) to his name, striking out four in just over an inning. He was the only Yankees pitcher who didn’t allow any hits yesterday.

Curtis Granderson got his 36th home run of the season, second in the AL and the league behind Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays (37). MVP? Probably not, Adrian Gonzalez and Bautista look like a better bet for the award, but he is having one hell of a season.  Alex Rodriguez, with one of his weaker seasons during his career, had a nice return to the park with two hits.

Funny thing is about the record – The Yankees had plenty of opportunity to do much more damage. Yankees batters had 16 at bats with the bases loaded, helped by 13 walks courtesy of the A’s pitching. They went 6-13 with the bases loaded.

Getting 22 runs isn’t exactly an everyday occurrence, even for the New York Yankees. Last time they got 22 was against the Red Sox in 2000. The A’s haven’t been shell shocked like that since 1955, a 29-6 loss to the White Sox. They were based in Kansas City back then.

It was a night of many weird happennings – Jorge Posada played one inning as a second baseman, the first time in his career at that position. He made the last play of the game.

It was only the A’s, and they’re still behind the Red Sox in the standing. Just one game, but there is that feeling that Boston have got more going for them when you compare the two teams. Still, and we’re going to have a three game series in Fenway park to give us a better notion of where things stand, with the Yankees hitting like that, it’s hard to bet against them. A come from behind victory like yesterday, ahead of a seven game road trip, probably installs some confidence in them as well.