NEW YORK – Adrian Gonzalez homered for the fourth consecutive game, and Josh Beckett shut down the skidding New York Yankees for the second time this season, sending the Boston Red Sox to a 6-0 victory Saturday on a bizarre night in the Bronx.

It all started when longtime star Jorge Posada asked to be taken out of the New York lineup after the slumping designated hitter was dropped to No. 9 in the batting order.

Posada, hitting .165 this season, was in the original lineup posted by Manager Joe Girardi — ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire Mike Winters following Gonzalez’s three-run shot. But General Manager Brian Cashman said Posada went into Girardi’s office at 6 p.m. and requested that he be removed.

Posada’s wife tweeted that the five-time All-Star had a stiff back. But a person familiar with the discussion between Posada and the team told The Associated Press that he “refused” to play. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the situation was still not settled.

The person said the Yankees have been in contact with the commissioner’s office about possible recourse. The Yankees could fine Posada one day’s pay — that would be $71,978 of his $13.1 million salary. If a player declines to play two days in a row, he could be put on the restricted list.

About 40 minutes before game time, the Yankees announced that Posada had been scratched and replaced by Andruw Jones at DH, but the team initially provided no explanation.

With speculation swirling, Cashman met with reporters in a workroom behind the press box during the third inning. In an unusual scene, the GM said Posada is not injured, but wouldn’t comment on whether he had been insubordinate.

After the game, Posada said he feels “a little bit” disrespected by the team.

“I told him I couldn’t play today, and that I needed time to clear my head, and that was it. My back stiffened up a bit. I was taking a lot of groundballs at first base and working out, and it stiffened up,” Posada said. “I wasn’t 100 percent to play the game. I mean, nothing serious.”

His teammates weren’t much more productive, managing only four singles and two walks against Beckett (3-1) while dropping their fourth straight. It is New York’s longest skid since losing four in a row Sept. 22-25.

The Yankees, who have dropped 8 of 11 overall, fell to 1-4 against their longtime rivals this year.

Beckett struck out nine in six innings to win another marquee matchup with CC Sabathia (3-3). Last month at Fenway Park, also on national television, the right-hander struck out 10 while yielding just two singles and a walk in eight dominant innings for a 4-0 win over Sabathia and the Yankees.

This time, Beckett gave up singles to his first two batters, then set down Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Robinson Cano in order — two on strikeouts.

Beckett escaped more trouble in the third and fifth, then handed a 6-0 lead to the bullpen. Matt Albers and Rich Hill completed the seven-hitter.

Jacoby Ellsbury hit a two-run double in the fifth, and Jason Varitek added an RBI single in the seventh. Gonzalez chased Sabathia with a drive to right-center, his fifth homer in four games. It was his first extra-base hit in 51 at-bats against left-handed pitchers.

 

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