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The New York Yankees still have a double-digit lead in the AL East and a chance to coast into the postseason.
What they do once they get there could depend on whether closer Clay Holmes can straighten things out in time.
Staked with a lead from Aaron Judge’s 46th homer, the All-Star reliever walked back-to-back batters in the ninth and then gave up a tying single to J.D. Martinez on Friday night. Tommy Pham delivered the walk-off hit in the 10th to lead the last-place Red Sox to a 3-2 victory over the first-place Yankees and send New York to its eighth loss in nine games.
“He struggled with strikes there obviously. That’s a situation we’ve got to get the strike thrown,” Yankees manger Aaron Boone said. “It’s just a matter of getting him locked in mechanically and letting it rip.”
New York pitchers retired 12 straight Boston batters before Holmes walked two with one out in the ninth and then gave up Martinez’s single up the middle. Holmes was 4-0 with an 0.47 ERA and 16 saves in 17 tries on July 7; since then, he is 1-3 with four blown saves while giving up 11 earned runs in 11 innings.
Asked if Holmes would remain as closer, Boone said, “We’ll see.”
“I’ll try to put in him in the best positions to be successful. Some nights that will be the ninth,” Boone said. “But we’ll keep working with him. Got to get him consistent.”
Judge, who had his major league-leading 46th homer and 100th RBI in the third inning, reached base for the fourth time when he was walked to lead off the 10th.
