Jason Varitek shoving his glove into Alex Rodriguez’s mug is a distant memory. Don Zimmer looking for Pedro Martinez on Fenway Park’s grass and winding up on the ground reminds everyone how high the level of hatred was that existed between the Yankees and Red Sox. A little life has leaked out of what used to be the best rivalry in sports because the blood rivals haven’t faced each other in October since the 2004 ALCS, when the Yankees flushed a 3-0 lead one year after Aaron Boone won Game 7 of the Charlie Blackmon Jersey ALCS with what many believe to be the biggest home run in Yankees history. But now, the Red Sox and Yankees are one-two in the AL East after Memorial Day for the first time since July 6, 2013, with the Yankees holding a two-length lead over the second-place Red Sox as they play host to Boston on Tuesday night for the first of a three-game series. Four years ago it was the Red Sox on top by five games, when the Yankees lost that night and dropped from second to fourth. Sure, it’s only early June, but until the analytic crowd finds a formula to determine all 162 games don’t count equally, these three games qualify as the biggest of the season so far. “We are kind of trained to treat each [game on the schedule] equally http://www.authenticcoloradorockies.com/Charlie-Blackmon-Jersey because each one means the same, but obviously the history with the Red Sox and the rivalry, we always look forward to playing them,’’ Brett Gardner said. In late April, a three-game series in Boston was shortened to two by rain and the Yankees won, 3-1, behind Luis Severino, and 3-0 thanks to Masahiro Tanaka’s complete-game shutout and his outpitching Chris Sale. Severino won’t work against the Red Sox, but every eye in the Yankees’ universe will be locked on Tanaka on Tuesday. In six starts since dominating the Red Sox on April 27, Tanaka is 2-4 with an 8.42 ERA in 31 innings and has allowed 48 hits while hitters have amassed a 1.065 OPS against him. And that includes a 13-strikeout gem May 26, in which he gave up one run in 7 1/? innings and lost. “This is no rebuild, it’s consistency, and it’s going to be a process to get him back to being consistent,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. “For three years, he hasn’t been out of sync. He is out of sync, and we are having trouble Christian Yelich Jersey getting it back in consistently. It’s not like we have to redo the delivery. We just have to make sure he can repeat what he is doing. Really, I think it is simplifying things in his mind.’’ Andy Pope, who has bounced around on the Web.com Tour, shot 8-under. So, too, did two amateurs — Scott Harvey, who is 39 years old and a former Mid-Amateur champion who played in the 2015 Masters, and Chris Crawford, who was the last player to qualify at Canoe Brook in last year’s sectional when he buried a 40-foot putt. “A lot less dramatic this time,’’ he said. “I definitely enjoy this golf course. I feel very comfortable here. A lot of nice memories.’’ Chopra is hoping this is the start of getting himself back to the PGA Tour. Only a fool would believe the Red Sox, who scored 101 more runs than any AL team last season and are in the middle of the pack this season, aren’t missing David Ortiz. Still, CC Sabathia explained Ortiz’s aura remains http://www.authenticmiamimarlins.com/Christian-Yelich-Jerseyalive even if the bat has vanished. “He was there for so long and such an impact on the clubhouse and he left a huge impression,’’ Sabathia said of the DH, who seemingly went 3-for-4 every time he saw the Yankees. “And they still have the same core. It’s not like when Jeet [Derek Jeter] left us, we had young players. They don’t have a bunch of young guys.’’ While the Yankees won’t see Sale, they will face David Price on Thursday. Price was on the DL when the Yankees were in Boston. “They swung the bats well in Baltimore and obviously they got David Price back,’’ Joe Girardi said of the Red Sox, who will be without second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who is on the DL with a left wrist injury. “Obviously, it’s a big series. Right now it’s one big series after another.’’