McAdam: After being on the wrong end of two slugfests in London, it was the Red Sox' turn Thursday

These aren't game between the Red Sox and Yankees anymore -- they're survival tests. Sure, the object is still to win, but really, they're like wars of attrition, designed to wear down pitching staffs and demoralize the losers.

The opening salvo in the four-game set between the rivals Thursday, a 19-3 pasting administered by the Red Sox, marked the third straight time that the winner between these clubs managed to score double figures. And in one of those, the losing team also got to double figures.

In each of the last four games between the Sox and Yanks, Boston has scored at least eight runs. And in the last three, the combined runs in the game topped 20.

For the past few weeks, the two teams have gone back and forth for the MLB lead in runs scored. When the Red Sox uncharacteristically were held to just two runs Wednesday against Tampa Bay, the Yankees scored 10 in Minnesota and overtook the Sox for the lead.

Then, just as quickly, the Sox hung 19 on New York and grabbed the lead again.

With seven runs in the first inning, the Sox jumped on starter Masahiro Tanaka. But having allowed 27 runs in their three-game series against the Twins and overworked their bullpen in the process, the Yanks had to stay with Tanaka for a while. It wasn't until he gave up a leadoff homer to Rafael Devers in the fourth and then allowed four more baserunners, at 87 pitches, that he got excused.

By the eighth, the Yankees turned to catcher Austin Romine to save their pen, marking the third time this week that the Sox had forced the opposing team to use a position player against them.

That's the way these games go. The Red Sox were on the receiving end in London, giving up a staggering 29 runs in two games. On Thursday night, it was the Yankees' turn to duck and cover.

"It happened last year, too,'' said manager Alex Cora. "We know what kind of offense they have and they know what kind of offense we have. Earlier today, in our hitters' meeting, we were talking about our game and all that and somebody said, 'If we do that, it's going to be a long night.'  And one of the guys said, 'It's going to be a long night regardless.'

"We're ready for a long weekend, we know that.''

The Sox still need pitching help -- that much is obvious. It helps a great deal that they've now had five straight games in which they've gotten at least six innings from their starting pitcher -- thus saving on wear-and-tear in the bullpen.

For short periods, the Sox can manage to outhit any weaknesses they have on the mound. In five of the 13 games since the All-Star break, the Red Sox have scored eight or more runs five times. That can cover a multitude of pitching sins.

"We've been rolling offensively for a while now,'' said Cora of his lineup. ''Those three guys at the top have been consistent the whole season and they're doing damage. When Mookie's getting on at this rate and his on-base percentage is where it's supposed to be, we become a  good offense. We feel good offensively. We've done a better job the last month and a half to put up good at-bats with men in scoring position. I think that was the difference early on. But we've been feeling pretty good for a while now.''

The big lead -- the Sox led by 10 in the fourth inning -- enabled them to get an inning out of lower-leverage relievers like Colten Brewer and Darwinzon Hernandez while staying away from the likes of Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman.

The Yankees, on the other hand, required 66 pitches combined from relievers Stephen Tarpley and Luis Cessa before turning their lonely eyes to Romine for the eighth.

Maybe that carries over to Friday and the rest of the weekend and maybe it doesn't.

"Most of the time,'' noted Bogaerts, "they've been the ones winning (these kinds of games this year). That sucks. But this is a good way to start against them in this series. It's the first time we've played them at home this year. Listen, we were up 7-0 and they came right back (in the second) and had chances to do damage and come within a run.''

You never know. Given the nature of the game in 2019 and the quality of both lineups, there's no such thing as an impenetrable lead.

The Sox had their turn Thursday. It could be the Yankees' turn in the next one or the one the after that.

Score 'em while you can.