NEW YORK — Masahiro Tanaka and three relievers combined on a three-hitter and the New York Yankees salvaged the finale of a three-game series with a 3-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.
Starlin Castro had an RBI double and Austin Romine and Jacoby Ellsbury had run-scoring singles in the fourth inning off David Price (9-7).
Those hits were enough for Tanaka (7-2), who continues to pitch better on extended rest. Pitching on six days’ rest because of the All-Star break, Tanaka gave up one run and three hits.
Tanaka allowed all but one of his baserunners within the opening two innings. He retired nine in a row before a double in the fifth by Brock Holt and 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced.
The right-hander ended his night at 87 pitches by getting David Ortiz to fly out to deep center field just in front of the warning track.
Dellin Betances pitched a perfect seventh and Andrew Miller struck out Dustin Pedroia for the final out of the eighth. Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth for his 18th save in 19 opportunities.
Ortiz was 0-for-3 with a walk and 2-for-11 in his penultimate series at Yankee Stadium before his retirement.
Dustin Pedroia’s first-inning run accounted for the lone Boston run as the Red Sox (51-39) had a season-high six-game winning streak stopped and lost for the second time in their last 10 games.
Price allowed three runs and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. It marked the ninth time he gave up at least 11 hits, with four of those outings occurring against the Yankees.
Boston took a 1-0 lead three minutes into the game when Pedroia sent a 2-1 pitch over the left-field wall for his ninth home run of the season.
After Tanaka struck out the side in the fourth, the Yankees evened the score when Castro’s double to left field brought home Didi Gregorius from first base.
New York went ahead two batters later when Castro scored on Romine’s single up the middle off the top of Pedroia’s glove.
The lead grew to 3-1 when Ellsbury blooped a single to center and Boston center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. was charged with an error when his throw sailed over catcher Sandy Leon’s head.
NOTES: New York 1B Mark Teixeira was not in the lineup after fouling a ball off his left foot on Saturday. Teixeira had a CT scan on his left foot, and about 30 minutes before Sunday’s first pitch, the Yankees said the results were negative. Teixeira also had X-rays on Saturday, which were negative. … Boston LHP Drew Pomeranz threw a 35-pitch bullpen session ahead of his Red Sox debut on Wednesday against San Francisco. Asked about being traded four times in his career, Pomeranz said, “I’ve done literally everything there is to do on a baseball field as a pitcher. I’m pretty prepared for anything. You could shove me out there in any situation, I’ve done it.” … Boston RHP Junichi Tazawa (right shoulder impingement) threw all of his pitches during a 40-pitch bullpen session. Red Sox manager John Farrell said Tazawa would likely throw a simulated game on Tuesday at Fenway Park.