BOSTON -- The heated rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox may have reached a crescendo on Saturday at Fenway Park.

Already embattled in the American League Championship Series and the Red Sox faced with the curse of not winning a World Series since 1918, the long-time matchup between the two AL East clubs turned ugly in Game 3 of their best-of- seven series.

"I think when this series began everyone knew it was going to be quite a battle, it was going to be very emotional, a lot of intensity," Boston manager Grady Little said. "I think we've upgraded it from a battle to a war."

The Yankees won the game 4-3 to take a 2-1 edge in the series, but not before disturbing circumstances took place in the fourth inning. With runners on second and third, nobody out and a run already in for the Yankees in the frame, Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez threw a pitch that hit Karim Garcia on his back.

"I know there's no question in my mind that Pedro hit him on purpose," said Yankees manager Joe Torre. "Second and third, nobody out, lefthanded hitter, righthanded hitter on deck, he can thread the needle at any time he wants. He was probably frustrated with the fact that we hit some balls hard. You know the kind of respect I have for Pedro's ability to pitch, but you know I didn't care for that."

Martinez and Garcia had a heated exchange of words. Garcia then took his base and in an attempt to break up a double-play grounder, slid hard into second base, trying to cut out the legs of Boston second baseman Todd Walker.

The war of words continued between Martinez and members in the Yankee dugout. In the bottom of the inning, Roger Clemens threw a high fastball with Manny Ramirez at the plate. The pitch was head high but over the plate and Ramirez took a few steps toward Clemens and waved the bat at the pitcher.

That's when things turned ugly. Benches cleared and Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer charged toward Martinez. Martinez pushed the 72-year-old Zimmer to the ground and he came off the field with a bandage across the bridge of his nose.

"Andy (Pettitte) and I went over there and saw a bald head on the ground," said Clemens. "We weren't sure if it was Zim or Boomer (David Wells). I was like 'Oh my gosh' and he wasn't getting up. We were glad that he was healthy, a man of his age. We're just glad to help him off the ground."

Following the game, Zimmer went to a local hospital for precautionary reasons.

For Ramirez to argue with Clemens was ludicrous. Clemens, who has always pitched inside, wasn't even close to hitting Ramirez. It seemed just like a good excuse for Manny to turn an intense ALCS game into a rowdy early evening affair in Beantown.

Clemens was asked about the pitch after the game and didn't even want to quantify if it was inside, which it wasn't.

"I was trying to strike him out inside," Clemens said. "The pitch was actually over the plate I think. I was okay with it until I looked up and he was coming towards me, mouthing me."

After a 13-minute delay, there were no ejections.

"I know it's the playoffs and a great setting, but gosh, when I told you all the other day it was going to be festive, I didn't know it was going to be this festive," Clemens added.

As for Martinez, he already has a checkered past versus the Yankees. He hit Alfonso Soriano and Derek Jeter with pitches on July 7, two days after Clemens beaned Boston's Kevin Millar.

Events became even more bizarre in the ninth inning when a Fenway Park employee inside the New York bullpen was allegedly assaulted by two members of the Yankees. According to Boston police, those two players, who weren't named, could face charges. Jeff Nelson and Karim Garcia however were identified as the Yankees involved in the incident.

The employee, identified as Paul Williams, was apparently waving a white flag in the bullpen in the ninth inning while rooting for the Red Sox. Nelson took exception to the gesture and the two started a fight. Garcia got involved in the fracas and appeared to injure his left hand. Garcia was taken out of the game in the ninth.

What was likely overshadowed in all this was Clemens' last start at Fenway Park. The future Hall of Famer and former Red Sox, who will retire at the end of this season, threw six innings, allowing five hits and two runs with a walk and seven strikeouts to get the victory.

Clemens left the field the way that typifies his entire major league career, getting outs in a key situation.

With the Yankees ahead 4-2, the Rocket allowed a single by Johnny Damon and walked Walker to lead off the bottom of the sixth. However, Clemens then fanned Nomar Garciaparra and got Ramirez to ground into a double play to end the frame.

"For me to be able to hold them down in this ball park I feel real fortunate," said Clemens. "I was able to make some key pitches."