With the 6-2 loss to the Yankees, Wakefield fell below .500 for the season (4-5). After allowing six earned runs, his ERA ballooned from 2.41 (second best in the American League) to a more mortal 3.14.

"I didn't have the feel I had for the first seven starts,'' said Wakefield. "Tonight was one of those nights where I tried to grind it out the best I could.''

The grind lasted for five innings and 109 pitches during which Wakefield allowed nine hits and five walks, with just two strikeouts. Two of the hits were home runs.

"Lot of pitches, a lot of deep counts,'' said Sox manager Terry Francona. "Giving them that many looks makes it tougher.''

Although Wakefield is 1-7 in his last nine starts against the Yankees, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, he had posted a very respectable 3.26 ERA at Yankee Stadium during his career. Plus he had had very good success against left-handers this season, holding them to a .158 clip (9-for-57) coming into the night.

So, in a game in which Wakefield felt great warming up in the bullpen, he never could get the odds to go in his favor, not at Yankee Stadium, not against lefties.

The Yankees' lefty-laden lineup - seven in all - went 7-for-18, or. 389.

Big difference. Advantage Yankees.

"I never got comfortable all night,'' said Wakefield. "The ball stayed up, it wasn't diving at the end, you could tell on those two home runs. I tried to grind it out but they took advantage of it, not only with all the walks but with the ball up in the zone.''

Right-handed hitting Alex Rodriguez, who is beginning to find his April stroke now that it is turning into late May, hit a two-run home run in the first. An inning later, lefty Jason Giambi nearly swung out of his new orthotics when he hit a towering solo shot into the upper deck in right.

The home run to Giambi was the first Wakefield has allowed to a left-handed hitter in his last four starts, going back to April 28, when Jorge Posada went deep here.

The worse moment for Wakefield, though, came in the fifth.

After two walks and a single, lefty Robinson Cano hit a triple into the gap in left-center that knocked in two runs.

Wakefield was done after that inning, and now has surrendered 11 runs in 12 innings in his last two starts.

He will attempt to get back on track Sunday in Arlington, Texas, in the last game of this road trip.