Hicks HR sparks rally as Yanks win 5-4, stop Red Sox streak

NEW YORK — Aaron Hicks awoke a dormant offense with a two-run homer that sparked a five-run eighth inning, then threw out a runner at third in the ninth inning to help Aroldis Chapman get out of trouble, and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Red Sox 5-4 Friday night and stop Boston's winning streak at eight.

Hanley Ramirez and Andrew Benintendi homered off Jaime Garcia, and Eduardo Rodriguez handed a 3-0 lead to his bullpen in the seventh. But in the first of 10 key games between the AL East rivals in 24 days, Didi Gregorius and Todd Frazier followed Hicks' home run with RBI singles and Ronald Torreyes hit a sacrifice fly as the Yankees took a 5-3 lead and rebounded to close within 3½ games of the Red Sox.

Chapman walked the bases loaded with no outs in the ninth. Andrew Benintendi hit a sacrifice fly that Hicks caught in front of the left-field warning track, making a one-hop throw to third baseman Todd Frazier, who tagged out Eduardo Nunez trying to advance from second. Mitch Moreland flied out to end it, giving Chapman his 15th save in 18 chances.

Associated Press