NEW YORK -- A first-time All-Star at age 31, Steven Wright traveled across the country and never got to pitch.That gave the AL ERA leader an early start to the second half, and the knuckleballer pitched the Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees 5-3 Friday night.Wright originally was slated to pitch Saturday, but Red Sox manager John Farrell called him at 3 p.m. Thursday and asked him to start the second-half opener.I wasnt expecting it, but I had a feeling there could be a good chance because I didnt throw in the All-Star Game, Wright said.Pitching on eight days rest, Wright (11-5) won for the eighth time in nine decisions. Ryan Hanigan, Travis Shaw and Xander Bogaerts homered off Michael Pineda (3-9) as Boston won its fifth straight.When Wright arrived in San Diego, AL manager Ned Yost informed the pitcher he likely would not appear.Its definitely a bummer, Wright said. I was going to be the emergency, because they didnt want to end in a tie, and I was the only guy that was capable of going multiple innings. And I was like, fine.He needed just 39 pitches to get through four innings against the Yankees and retired his first 14 batters before Alex Rodriguez hit a slow hopper the pitcher couldnt come up with on a bare-hand try about 45 feet from the plate on the third base side.There was quite a bit of violence to the knuckleball, Farrell said.New York closed the gap with a three-run sixth, when Wright hit Chase Headley on the thigh with a pitch and loaded the bases with a walk to Jacoby Ellsbury. Carlos Beltran had a two-run single on a ball that zipped past first baseman Hanley Ramirez and down the right-field line, and Brian McCann hit an RBI grounder as Ramirez bounced his throw to second, eliminating the possibility of an inning-ending double play.I gave up one hard-hit ball the entire night. It just happened to be with the bases loaded, Wright said.He improved to 4-1 against the Yankees, allowing three runs and three hits in six innings as his ERA rose from 2.68 to 2.78.Hanigans third-inning homer was his first since last Aug. 19 off Clevelands Corey Kluber, and the ball was caught by reliever Robbie Ross Jr., who stuck out his cap to snag it in the visitors bullpen in left field.When that ball was hit, I was like, that balls going out, Im going right for it. I got 4 1/2, Ross said of his season total. The half was the one where Brock (Holt) hit it off the top of the fence and I caught it.Shaw hit a two-run homer in the fifth, and Bogaerts made it 5-0 with a two-run drive in the sixth.It kind of looked like we needed a time through the order to get back in sync after the break, Farrell said.Brad Ziegler and Ross followed Wright with an inning apiece, and Koji Uehara finished the four-hitter for his fifth save, his third since closer Craig Kimbrel hurt a knee.Pineda (3-9) gave up five runs and five hits in five-plus innings, leaving him with a 5.56 ERA and 18 home runs allowed in 18 starts this season. New York (44-45) is under .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since 1995.Its one game, guys, Beltran said. We have to focus on winning series, especially against teams that are in our division.IN THE SEATSIndiana Gov. Mike Pence, announced by Donald Trump as his pick for Republican vice presidential nominee, was in the crowd of 47,459, the Yankees fourth home sellout this season.WHAT, ME WORRY?David Ortiz laughed at the notion his comments this week that Boston should sign Edwin Encarnacion to replace him next season could be construed as improper.Tampering? I dont write no paycheck, Ortiz said. I can say whatever I want. Im not a GM or a team owner. If I say tomorrow that I want to play with LeBron James, am I tampering, too?TRAINERS ROOMRed Sox reliever Junichi Tazawa, on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement, threw a 25-pitch bullpen. He has another session scheduled for Sunday and likely will be activated when he becomes eligible Tuesday. ... RHP Joe Kelly allowed a hit in two innings and struck out three for Triple-A Pawtucket against Charlotte. ... Ramirez and Holt played for the first time since July 8 against Tampa Bay, when Ramirez fouled a ball off his left shin and Holt sprained his left ankle.UP NEXTLHP CC Sabathia (5-6) is scheduled to start Saturday for New York, and LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (1-3) for Boston following his recall from the minors on Friday. Rodriguez is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in four career starts against the Yankees. Colorado Avalanche Store . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. Avalanche Jerseys 2020 . Its sharpness matched my mind. This was no night to go to sleep. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. Fake Avalanche Jerseys .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Cheap Avalanche Jerseys . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. The Western Bulldogs breakthrough AFL success hasnt changed Gillon McLachlans approach to the pre-finals bye round, which will be back next season.The controversial weekend off will be retained in the 2017 draw, despite every senior coach wanting a reversion to the regular fixture.The Bulldogs were undoubtedly helped by the break, using it to regroup and leap from seventh to the premiership.In contrast, the extra weeks break hurt the two qualifying final winners - GWS Giants and Geelong - who played just two matches in four weeks leading up to their preliminary finals, which both sides lost.In making the unpopular call, AFL House leaned heavily on two figures; television audiences and crowds.Record viewing figures for round one of the finals delighted broadcasters Seven Network and Fox Sports and convinced McLachlan to retain the measure.The four matches had 6.4 million Australians watching, beating the record figure of 6.04 million in 2006.In total, the nine finals matches drew a consolidated audience of 18.4 million people, also a new record.Total crowds also grew on last year, with 558,342 attending the finals despite Spotless Stadium hosting just 21,790 people for the most poorly-attended preliminary final of the modern era.McLachlan said the break built in a integrity measure, and he was keen to add other events alongside the womens all-star match and a charity match between the final round of fixtures and the opening week of the finals.ddddddddddddt is the AFLs view that the greater build-up for fans of all sides competing in the finals strongly contributed to a brilliant month for the game across September, with the best players being able to be as fit and well-prepared as possible for the most important games of the season, he said.The AFL was able to give a greater focus to both the womens all-star game and our retired legends through the EJ Whitten match.Our key awards - such as All Australian selection and the Ron Evans Medal for the Rising Star - also received greater prominence.The decision to retain this week off for the elite players to prepare for the finals can also be used by all other levels of the game below the AFL to raise the profile of all state league competitions across that weekend, along with metropolitan, regional and community football.The 2017 AFL draw is expected to be released in the next fortnight. The pre-finals bye weekend will fall on the first weekend of September, with the grand final set for September 30. ' ' '