The New York Yankees avoided a historically damaging sweep with a 7-2 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night at Yankee Stadium. The victory snapped an eight-game losing streak to their rivals and prevented Boston from completing a four-game sweep in the Bronx for the first time since July 1939.

Has the reduction in divisional play impacted storied rivalries such as this one, or Dodgers/Giants, which dates to the 19th century – older than the entire American League – and which shaped westward expansion when they jointly moved to California in 1958?

BOTTOM LINE: The Boston Red Sox will try to continue a three-game win streak with a victory over the New York Yankees. New York has a 69-60 record overall and a 37-28 record at home. Yankees pitchers have a collective 4.04 ERA, which ranks ninth in the AL.