The lineup is a mess and the bullpen has holes, but the Yankees have won four straight since seeing their AL East lead dwindle to its thinnest since early May. “We’re getting better, we’re getting healthier and there’s more help on the way,” Aaron Boone said after the Yankees beat the Red Sox for the second straight night Wednesday, this time 5-3 in front of a sellout crowd. at Fenway Park. The win allowed the Yankees to maintain a six-game lead over the second-place Blue Jays, who beat Tampa Bay. “We know what time of year it is and we know we have to play our best,” Boone said. “So it’s been good to see the guys really come together as we continue to put it together.” Aaron Judge fields a safe signal after Gleyber Torres rounds the bases to score on a single and a three-base error, giving the Yankees three runs in the game in their 5-3 win over the Red Sox.NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg In those two games, it didn’t matter that the Red Sox are in last place in the division. After nearly coming back in the 10th inning on Tuesday, Boston rallied again in the bottom of the eighth and nearly made it a one-run game before the Yankees got a break to end the inning. With the Yankees clinging to a two-run lead, JD Martinez appeared to avoid hitting into a game-ending double play by scoring on Gleyber Torres’ first pitch, which would have allowed Alex Verdugo to score and cut into Boston’s deficit. in a streak. But the Yankees contested the play, and replays showed that Martinez stepped right in front of the base, never touching the bag, and was ruled out. Nestor Cortes, who allowed one run in five innings, claps after getting Enrique Hernandez to pop up to end the second inning in the Yankees’ win. NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg Boone called the project “enormous.” The Yankees then held on in the ninth despite Clay Holmes allowing a run for the third straight outing. And while Aaron Judge remained at 57 homers, he got plenty of offense from their depleted lineup after Nestor Cortes gave up just one run in five-plus innings in his second start back after missing time with a groin strain. Torres sparked the win with another productive game at the plate. Aaron Judge, who did not homer in the game, hits an infield single during the fifth inning of the Yankees’ victory. NY Post: Charles Wenzelberg The second baseman’s resurgence continued with his RBI single in the fifth inning that turned into a Keystone Kops home run thanks to some poor defense from the Red Sox, who committed three errors on the night that led to four unearned runs. In the fifth, Torres singled to right to drive in Aaron Hicks, and then catcher Connor Wong fielded Verdugo’s throw to right and, in an attempt to get Torres who had wandered too far to first, threw the ball back to right field. That allowed Judge to score easily and Torres circled the bases and slid safely home. Torres had a role in the final Yankees run of the night when Abraham Almonte misplayed his fly ball to center in the top of the ninth, allowing Tim Locastro to score after pinch running for Giancarlo Stanton. Cortes got out of trouble in the second and then retired nine in a row at one point. Boston made a comeback in the bottom of the fifth on Wong’s double into the left field corner that scored first baseman Rob Refsnyder. Green Monster’s Jose Trevino’s double to left scored Isiah Kiner-Falefa to make it 4-1. Cortes left after Verdugo walked to start the bottom of the sixth and Clarke Schmidt came in and pitched two scoreless innings. Jonathan Loaisiga homered in the eighth, allowing a run before Martinez’s rally-killing double play. But the Yankees were able to put their second-half struggles in the rearview mirror with just 19 plays to play. They have won eight of 10 since dropping six of seven earlier in the month. “I think our confidence never dropped,” Cortes said. “I know we’ve been through tough times and I think that’s what’s kept us stronger. What we are doing now shows what kind of team we are. I think we’ve found our footing.”
