The Yankees are quickly going from bad to worse.
Hoping a seven-game homestand against division rivals would help them move up the AL East standings, the Yankees instead got run over, with four straight losses to close it out.
The last one came with some drama, as the Yankees blew a lead — and then a chance to win it in the bottom of the ninth before a terrible call ended the inning and fell 6-5 in 10 innings.
“It’s an awful week for us, culminating in the end of this homestand,’’ Aaron Boone said after the Yankees were swept by the Red Sox in The Bronx for the first time in a decade. “We’ve got to get right. We’ve got to get better. It starts now on the road as we head to Minnesota.”
The Red Sox scored twice in the 10th on a two-out single by Xander Bogaerts off Luis Cessa and the Yankees couldn’t come back in the bottom of the inning.
With Rougned Odor at second, Clint Frazier got hit by a pitch, but Miguel Andujar grounded into a double play turned well by Boston right-hander Phillips Valdez.
Tyler Wade, in the game for defense, came to the plate and hit a slow roller for a single to score Odor. He got to second on a throwing error by Marwin Gonzalez.
But DJ LeMahieu grounded to second to end it.
“We had a lot of big at-bats late, but we’ve got to find a way to start scratching out some W’s,’’ Boone said of his team’s recent 3-10 stretch.
In the ninth, the Yankees came up with a run, but could have won it.
Gleyber Torres tied the game with a one-out double that scored Aaron Judge from first. With runners on the corners and the count full, pinch-hitter Odor was called out on strikes on an outside pitch, a brutal call from home plate umpire Gabe Morales that ended the inning.
Third base coach Phil Nevin, still not allowed on the field as he is treated for the aftereffects of his battle with COVID-19, was ejected by Morales for arguing the call from the dugout. Acting third base coach, Carlos Mendoza, was then tossed by crew chief Bill Miller.
“We’re very frustrated,’’ Boone said. “You saw some of that emotion spill over.”
The Yankees also made costly mistakes, with an especially expensive miscue in the top of the eighth.
Christian Arroyo, pinch hitting for Danny Santana, led off the inning against Wandy Peralta with a pop-up to shallow right that was dropped by LeMahieu, with right fielder Frazier unable to get to the ball.
Arroyo got to second on the play which was scored a double. He went to third on a groundout and Bogaerts’ sacrifice fly to deep center drove in Arroyo to give the Red Sox a 4-3 lead.
The trouble, though, started earlier.
Trailing by a run in the first, the Yankees scored two runs with four straight one-out hits — but still stranded two more runners in scoring position.
And they came up with just one run after loading the bases with one out in the fourth.
Lucas Luetge faltered for a second outing in a row. He walked Hunter Renfroe to start the seventh and then allowed a two-run shot to Gonzalez to tie the game at 3-3.
Luetge entered the game in the sixth, when Domingo German was removed with two outs after a four-pitch walk to Bogaerts.
The loss also dropped the Yankees into fourth place in the AL East — also trailing Toronto — and a season-worst 6 ½ games back of front-running Tampa Bay.
“We’ve got to keep pushing forward,’’ Judge said. “It’s tough getting swept at home, especially against your rival. When you get hit in the mouth, it’s how you respond.”
They now head out on an eight-game road trip, with games against the Twins, Phillies and Blue Jays in Buffalo.
“There’s urgency, but we’re in control of our season and our destiny — very much so,” Boone said. “We’ve got to take control of it.”
