NEW YORK -- For three straight nights, the Red Sox had succeeded in postponing the inevitable, denying the New York Yankees their 10,000th franchise win and a playoff clincher.
On Thursday night, they could hold the Yankees off no longer.
The Yankees rode three solo homers and solid pitching to a 4-1 win over the Red Sox, solidifying one of the two wild card spots in the American League.
The loss snapped a six-game winning streak for the Red Sox and cost them a chance to finish with a winning record. Even if the Sox win out in their final series of the season this weekend in Cleveland, the best they could finish is 81-81.
Rich Hill was tagged with the loss, despite another quality start. He gave up two runs -- both in the second inning. One came on a home run by Carlos Beltran and another on a single by Brendan Ryan after Hill had uncharacteristically walked two batters.
Rookies Greg Bird and Rob Refsnyder later added solo homers for the Yanks off the Boston bullpen.
After scoring 24 runs in the first three games of the series, the Boston offense went suddenly cold. The lone Red Sox run was the result of an RBI single by Mookie Betts in the fifth inning, giving him five RBI for the four-game series.
Boston Red Sox
The Sox had just one hit over the final four innings.
The Yankees won the season series between the two teams 10-8.