Red Sox get harsh welcome at Yankee tadium

NEW YORK — The rivalry between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees does not take a day off for the All-Star game.

The Yankee Stadium crowd lustily booed Boston's seven representatives and manager Terry Francona in the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday night, showering the Red Sox with vitriol usually reserved for an important AL East game in September.

No one got it worse than Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon, who got a harsh welcome when he entered in the eighth. The brash right-hander skirted around whether he or longtime Yankees closer Mariano Rivera should finish the last All-Star game at Yankee Stadium, hinting Monday he wanted the honor then saying Rivera should get the nod.

The reliever's comments led one New York tabloid to splash "Papelbum" across its back page Tuesday.

The crowd of 55,632 chanted "Overrated" with Papelbon on the mound in the eighth, and sounded almost pleased when he allowed Adrian Gonzalez's go-ahead sacrifice fly.

The one Boston player to earn any cheers was J.D. Drew, who tied it at 2 with a two-run homer in the seventh and who selected the game's MVP. But Drew heard derisive chants when he entered to play right field in the sixth.

At least the Red Sox were on the winning side: Michael Young's 15th-inning sacrifice fly gave the American League a 4-3 victory over the National League.

Boston's seven players were the most of any AL team, and the Red Sox also had Francona in the dugout along with a half-dozen of their coaches.

It made for a surreal scene in the Yankees clubhouse, with Boston's stars getting dressed where some of the Yankees' standouts usually prepare for games.

The Yankee Stadium crowd got started early, tuning up when Boston's contingent was introduced during pregame ceremonies. They reserved their loudest boos for when sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were announced.

Ortiz, who missed the game with an injured left wrist, playfully put up his fists as jeers rained down from the crowd.

Boston won the division title last year on its way to its second World Series title in four years, finishing two games ahead of the Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox lead the East at the break again this year, six games ahead of third-place New York.