NEW YORK -- The Yankees knew they wouldn't have the services of their entire relief corps on Saturday, but it turned out to be a moot point in New York's 17-1 loss to the Red Sox.

New York was able to rest Tanyon Sturtze, Tom Gordon and Mariano Rivera, as the game was out of hand early after a seven-run fifth put the Sox ahead, 12-0.

Mike Stanton, Paul Quantrill and Buddy Groom combined to throw 5 1/3 innings of relief, taking the brunt of Boston's offensive explosion. The trio combined to allow 12 runs on 16 hits, with Quantrill giving up six runs on three home runs himself.

"I simply didn't do anything very well today," Quantrill said. "You have to find a way to work and battle through when you don't have your best stuff. That's what makes you a good pitcher. Today, I wasn't capable of doing that."

When he entered the game in the fifth, Quantrill faced a bases-loaded, one-out situation with Edgar Renteria at the plate and David Ortiz on deck. After falling behind, 1-0, Quantrill grooved a pitch to Renteria that the shortstop belted over the wall in right field for his fourth career grand slam.

Quantrill walked Ortiz and gave up a single by Manny Ramirez, setting up Trot Nixon's three-run shot, which he blasted to center field on the first pitch.

"When I came in the game, we may not have won, but if we were going to have any chance, I needed to get us out of that inning," Quantrill said. "Obviously, I didn't. I pitched poorly today. Terrible."

"It was a tough spot for anybody coming out of the 'pen," said catcher John Flaherty. "Paul's job was to throw strikes and eat up some innings. Unfortunately, he left some balls up that went out of the yard. It was a bad day for everybody, so we'll go get 'em tomorrow."

Being able to rest the trio of Sturtze, Gordon and Rivera was important for New York, as the latter two had pitched in each of the last three games.

Despite entering the ninth on Friday night with a three-run lead and a save situation, Torre kept Gordon in to start the inning, bringing in Rivera only after Gordon allowed a one-out single.

"One thing Mariano has never been has been, 'It's a save situation so I have to be in there because that's my job,'" Torre said. "He's always been into winning games. It's never been a situation where he's needed every opportunity he could get."

Rivera got the final two outs to record his 12th save of the season.

"They only got two outs apiece, but they've worked three days in a row," said Torre when asked whether either pitcher was available on Saturday. "We tried to stay clear of Rivera, but we just couldn't do it.

"Joe's day off: Bob Watson, MLB's vice president in charge of discipline, won't be making any decision on a suspension or fine for Paul Quantrill until Tuesday, but Torre expects to receive a one-game suspension himself for Tuesday's incident between the Yanks and Tigers.

"I'll be missing one game on this next road trip," said Torre, who spoke with Watson at the Stadium on Friday. "He didn't give me anything definitive, he just talked in generalities."

If and when Torre is forced to sit out, bench coach Joe Girardi will manage the Yankees.

"He's so prepared. He's a combination of feel and numbers," Torre said. "When he was my catcher, I used to rely on him a great deal to get a sense of the state of the ballclub. He's always been someone I trust."

Back in the lineup: After sitting out the series opener, Jason Giambi was back on the field on Saturday, starting as the Yankees' designated hitter.

Giambi has eight hits in his last 23 at-bats, a .347 clip, but he has hit just one home run since April 20.

"I think he's anxious that he hasn't produced more," Torre said. "What we're trying to do, Donnie and myself, is trying to say, 'You're going in the right direction.' He's having good at-bats and hitting line drives. He hasn't hit home runs, and you know that's in the back of his mind, but he's hitting .300 over the past two dozen at-bats. It's a process."

The longest pitch: Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, who star in the remake of "The Longest Yard," threw out the ceremonial first pitches before Saturday's game.

Sandler, wearing a No. 44 pinstriped jersey, tossed a high pitch to Jorge Posada, but it looked good compared to the one his co-star delivered. Rock, wearing a No. 51 jersey, lofted the ball over John Flaherty's head and to the backstop.

On deck: The Yankees and Red Sox close out the three-game series with a primetime showdown, as Mike Mussina takes on David Wells at 8:05 p.m. ET.http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASAp...=.jsp&c_id=nyy