Red Sox 5, Yankees 3
BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez's two-run bullpen blast in the fourth inning ignited the Boston Red Sox offense in a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees on Saturday night in the second game of a three-game weekend set between the AL East rivals at Fenway Park.
The left fielder hit his 19th homer of the year on a 1-0 fastball that landed in the Red Sox bullpen in right-center after designated hitter David Ortiz's leadoff single, making it 3-1.
Center fielder Mookie Betts tripled home Boston's fourth run with two outs in the seventh, and shortstop Xander Bogaerts reached on an infield single to plate Betts later in the frame.
Left-handed rookie Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2) pitched well in his debut outing against the Yankees, limiting them to two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out two in 6 1/3 innings.
Right-hander Koji Uehara earned his 22nd save for Boston (42-46).
Ramirez and Betts each went 2-for-4. Ortiz was 2-for-3 and second baseman Brock Holt extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to center in the third.
Ivan Nova (1-3) suffered from insufficient run support once again, losing his third straight start for New York (47-40). The right-hander allowed four runs on eight hits and struck out three in 6 2/3 innings in his fourth game back since missing 71 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-4 and was booed as his second home run of the season sailed into his former team's bullpen with one out in the sixth, bringing the Yankees within one run at 3-2.
Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner doubled with two down in the eighth to score Ellsbury to pull within two again. Second baseman Rob Refsnyder, called up from Triple-A on Saturday, grounded into a double play in his first at-bat and was 0-for-3 in his debut.
Alex Rodriguez delivered a carbon copy of Friday's first-inning home run, sending an 89 mph changeup over the wall in left to put the Yankees up 1-0 in the first inning. It was the designated hitter's 18th home run of the season, and it came on a 2-1 pitch with two outs, just like his blast Friday.
Boston tied the score thanks to a spark from right fielder Alejandro De Aza, who singled to center to lead off the third, stole second, took third on a throwing error and scored on catcher Ryan Hanigan's groundout to second.
NOTES: New York had won five games in a row at Fenway Park entering Saturday. ... 2B Rob Refsnyder was called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and made his major league debut. Refsnyder hit .290 with seven home runs and 37 RBIs in Triple-A. ... New York INF Cole Figueroa was optioned to Triple-A and OF Mason Williams was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. ... Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a right flexor muscle strain after leaving Friday's game. His MRI exam revealed no ligament damage. ... LHP Brian Johnson was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket. To make room on the 40-man roster, RHP Dalier Hinojosa was designated for assignment. ... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia likely won't be activated this weekend. ... Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi faces Red Sox LHP Wade Miley in Sunday's series finale.