BOSTON — For one night, at least, the Red Sox added some drama to the AL East.
The Yankees were four outs away from extending their lead in the division and sending Boston to a fifth straight loss, but the Red Sox rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning victory.
Clay Holmes allowed an RBI single to Alex Verdugo to tie the score at 3-3 in the eighth. Then, after the Yankees scored twice in the top of the 10th, Verdugo won it with a two-run single off Wandy Peralta in the bottom of the inning, as the Red Sox stunned the Yankees in front of another sold-out crowd at Fenway Park.
It was the Yankees’ fourth walk-off loss of the year and their first while leading after seven innings. They had been 48-0.
The loss dropped the Yankees to 61-24 on the season and lowered their lead in the division over the second-place Red Sox to a still-gaping 15 games.
The drama was caused by a rare hiccup by the Yankees’ bullpen, as Holmes blew a save for just the second time this season. He came in with a runner on second and two outs in the eighth, but gave up the run-scoring single to Verdugo.
Holmes rebounded with a perfect ninth, aided by a terrific diving play by Josh Donaldson at third on a hard grounder by Jarren Duran to end the inning.
Aaron Judge led off the 10th against left-hander Jake Diekman and drilled a double to drive in automatic runner Jose Trevino.
Anthony Rizzo — back in the lineup after missing four games due to back stiffness — followed with his second RBI double of the night to make it 5-3. Rizzo was then thrown out trying to steal third, a play Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he was fine with, but which Boston manager Alex Cora pointed to as a key reason the Red Sox were able to come back.
Peralta came on for the bottom of the 10th and allowed a leadoff hit to former Yankee Rob Refsnyder and an RBI single to Jeter Downs (the rookie’s first MLB hit) before Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third.
Donaldson bobbled the Bogaerts grounder, eliminating the chance for a game-ending double play, but got Bogaerts at first. With runners on first and second, Verdugo singled to right to end it.
Peralta said through an interpreter that he was trying to attack Verdugo inside, but wasn’t sharp enough with his pitches.
“He was able to beat us tonight,’’ Peralta said. “I’m sure we’ll have another go at it at some point.”
“They’re so good,” starter Jordan Montgomery said of the bullpen. “No one’s perfect.”
The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead when Jordan Montgomery gave up an RBI single to Bobby Dalbec in the second inning. Montgomery allowed two runs in 5 ²/₃ innings, while the Yankees, facing Kutter Crawford (the fourth straight rookie to start for the Red Sox), gave up just a pair of singles until Aaron Hicks led off the fifth with a homer to tie the score 1-1.
The Yankees pounced on Ryan Brasier, who replaced Crawford to start the sixth.
Gleyber Torres, in the midst of a hot streak, led off with a single. Rizzo then hit a shot into the gap in right-center for a double that scored Torres from first and put the Yankees up 2-1.
After Giancarlo Stanton struck out, Donaldson’s two-out single to center scored Rizzo to make it 3-1.
Montgomery followed Dalbec’s RBI single by retiring eight straight and didn’t allow another hit until Refsnyder drilled his first pitch of the bottom of the sixth over the Green Monster. The 436-foot homer cut the Yankees’ lead to one run.
The lefty was yanked after he gave up back-to-back singles with two out and Michael King came on to get Trevor Story to fly out to left field.
But with two outs in the eighth, King allowed a double to J.D. Martinez and Boone went to Holmes, who walked Bogaerts and then gave up the tying single to Verdugo.
“Credit to Boston’s hitters,” Rizzo said. “They had good at-bats.”
