Yankees ride Neil Walker’s heroics past Red Sox | Rapid reaction

Neil Walker’s three-run shot in the seventh inning pushed the Yankees, 3-2, over the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night.

NEW YORK — The visiting clubhouse won’t smell like a Bleecker Street dive bar.

For one more day, anyway.

The Yankees kept the American League East title from the Red Sox with a 3-2 win at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday.

Neil Walker’s three-run shot in the seventh inning turned a 1-0 deficit into a cushion for the Yankees’ bullpen.

They didn’t get any help from star Aaron Judge, who started in right field for the first time since fracturing his right wrist in late July. He went hitless in four at-bats but looked less rusty than perhaps expected at the plate.

Still, Boston’s magic number to clinch the division is just two. That means, if they beat the Yankees in either of the series’ two remaining games, the Yankees will have to officially start chasing the Wild Card — a chase that’s been their unofficial goal for weeks.

The Yankees jumped to two games ahead of the A’s in the battle to host the do-or-die game, with a chance for it to extend to 2 1/2 if the checked-out Angels beat Oakland on Tuesday.

Walker saved a game that was scheduled for 1:05 p.m. but was moved to 7:05 p.m. due to intense rains from Hurricane Florence.

Zach Britton got the save — but made it scary for the Yankees.

His throwing error to second base on an attempted double play with runners on the corners allowed one to score.

But he redeemed himself the next at-bat, fielding a comebacker to start a 1-6-3 double play that ended it.

Third base defensive replacement Adeiny Hechavarria also extended the inning, making a bad throw to second base on an attempted double play with one out. The ball went off second baseman Gleyber Torres’ glove and he was charged with the error.

Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said closer Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) could be activated from the disabled list as soon as Wednesday.

Walker’s heroics

With runners on first and second base in the seventh, Red Sox manager Alex Cora replaced reliever Brandon Workman with Ryan Brasier. Walker worked Brasier to a full count and then unloaded on a meatball slider, sending into the right field second deck.

The Bronx went nuts. Walker put his head down and pointed into the Yankees’ dugout as he neared first base. It was his 10th shot of the season, making the Yankees just the fifth team ever to have 11 players with double-digit home runs.

Walker started at first base,  Boone hoping his lefty swing would work well against right-handed starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, a former Yankee.

Pitchers duel

It didn’t. Eovaldi outpitched Yankees starter J.A. Happ, who had a strong night himself.

Eovaldi threw six scoreless innings, striking out five. He had a 6.58 ERA in his previous seven outings.

Happ continued to prove he was a worthy trade-deadline pickup for the Yankees, giving up just a run over his six innings and 102 pitches. He worked out of a one-out, runners-on-the-corners jam in the sixth inning to keep the Yankees within just a run.

Falling behind

A familiar feel came with the Red Sox’s first run to make it 1-0 in the third inning.

With runners on first and second, J.A. Happ threw a fastball over the plate. It moved a little and it kicked off catcher Gary Sanchez’s glove. He followed his league-worst 14th past ball to the backstop and the runners advanced.

That set the stage for J.D. Martinez to lift a high fly ball to right field. Aaron Judge camped under it but didn’t have a chance at throwing Ian Kinsler out at home.

Sanchez has played just 67 games this season. Houston’s Martin Maldonado, who’s second overall with 13 passed balls, has played 110 games.

Judge’s return

Judge didn’t look particularly rusty, but maybe antsy. 

In his first at-bat, he watched a ball and then tore a line drive to right field but it was caught. His second time up, Judge bounced into a tailor-made, inning-inning double play to shortstop, but he stung the ball. 

His third at-bat came at a crucial point. In the sixth inning, Judge stepped to the plate with Gleyber Torres (double) on second and one out. Judge lifted a high fly ball to right field. It landed maybe a couple feet before the 314-feet sign in the corner. Torres moved to third.

He struck out looking in his last at-bat.

Next

Yankees righty Luis Severino (17-8, 3.46 ERA) vs. Red Sox lefty David Price (15-6, 3.42 ERA) at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. 

Brendan Kuty may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @BrendanKutyNJ. Find NJ.com Yankees on Facebook.