Sox hold off Yankees 3-2, series heads back to NYC

BOSTON -- No beanballs or brawls, just a dynamite knuckleball by Tim Wakefield that gave the New York Yankees fits and allowed the Boston Red Sox to knot the AL championship series.\nWakefield struck out eight over seven-plus innings, and Todd Walker and Trot Nixon provided the offense with solo homers, leading Boston over New York 3-2 Monday night to tie the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.\nThere was none of the fighting that marred Game 3 Saturday, and Wakefield beat Mike Mussina for the second time in the series, which now must return to Yankee Stadium later this week.\nPinch-hitter Jason Varitek added important breathing room for Boston with an RBI grounder in the seventh, just beating the throw to first as the Yankees tried to complete an inning-ending double play.\nIt turned out to be important.\nDerek Jeter drove in New York's first run with a fifth-inning double that hit third base and pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra homered off Scott Williamson with one out in the ninth, ending a streak of 19 1-3 shutout innings for Boston's much-maligned bullpen.\nWilliamson, who had relieved Mike Timlin to start the inning, struck out Dave Dellucci and Alfonso Soriano to earn the save.\nThe series continues at Fenway Park on Tuesday, originally a travel day. David Wells pitches for New York against Derek Lowe in Game 5.\nAfter Sunday's rainout, fans had a festive time on the warm autumn night, booing Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who screamed Saturday at Pedro Martinez after the Boston pitcher hit Karim Garcia with a pitch. Posada went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, leaving seven runners on base.\nThey also chanted "We want Nelson," a reference to New York reliever Jeff Nelson, involved in Saturday's ninth-inning bullpen scuffle. Nelson entered to boos in the eighth inning just after Felix Heredia hit Walker in the shoulder. There was no hint of trouble on this one -- Walker went directly to first base.\nStill, there was at least one dispute.\nAfter Nelson's first pitch, Boston manager Grady Little came out to talk to the umpires, who then checked the pitcher's belt and glove. But they apparently didn't find anything against the rules, and Nelson got out of the inning with a double-play grounder.