BOSTON (AP) — Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in the go-ahead run with a safety squeeze in the ninth inning and hit his first career homer with New York, sending the AL East-leading Yankees past the Red Sox 3-2 on Saturday night for just their second win in 10 games.
It was manager Aaron Boone’s 400th career victory with the Yankees.
“It feels good to come through with the big homer and small ball,” Kiner-Falefa said. “Showing off both sides of my game. I was just happy to come out with the win, we’ve been playing a lot of close games lately.”
Alex Verdugo had two hits for Boston, which had won its last two games, including a dramatic 3-2 win over New York in 10 innings on Friday night.
Andrew Benintendi sparked New York’s winning rally with a one-out double off the center-field wall against John Schreiber (3-2). Jose Trevino reached on an infield hit before Kiner-Falefa laid down a perfect bunt toward first base on the next pitch, with Benintendi scoring on a headfirst slide.
“The stadium went wild. I thought he was out,” he said of the bunt. “I was like: ‘Oh man.’ I was thinking in my head. I looked in the dugout and they’re waiting for the celebration.”
Aroldis Chapman (1-3) got four outs for the victory. Scott Effross worked a rocky ninth for his second save.
“Great job,” Boone said of Effross. “Nothing’s easy for us right now. We’re going through it, kind of one of those gut-check wins.”
Reese McGuire and Tommy Pham hit consecutive singles for Boston with one out in the ninth. But Rafael Devers bounced into a fielder’s choice and Xander Bogaerts popped out.
Benintendi also made a diving catch in left in his second game back at Fenway Park since being traded by the Red Sox in February 2021.
Yankees slugger Aaron Judge…