BOSTON – Henry Owens spent part of Friday afternoon planted on a leather sofa in the Boston Red Sox clubhouse, reading a Sports Illustrated. He occasionally lifted his eyes to watch the Cubs-Braves game on TV, where Jon Lester was dealing.

Sure, there are similarities between Lester and Owens – left-handed, former Portland Sea Dogs who made their major league debuts with the Red Sox at age 22.

Red Sox starting pitcher Henry Owens allowed two runs on six hits in six innings in Boston's 4-2 win over New York on Friday at Fenway Park. The Associated Press

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But Lester could fire in a fastball that made his other pitches effective. There was no fire coming out of Owens’ left hand Friday. If he was effective, it was because of his defense and an occasional killer change-up.

His fastball ranged from 84 to 90 mph (twice). Forget the Lester comparisons. Owens looked more like Abe Alvarez, the soft-tossing, left-handed pitching prospect who made one start for Boston in 2004 before fading away.

What is Owens’ prognosis? You look at his outing and see 10 of 24 batters reach base. But he also allowed only two runs over six innings, keeping his team in the game, which it eventually won 4-2 on David Ortiz’s two-run homer.

“A quality start,” Manager John Farrell said. “He gathered himself and gained a little rhythm as the night went along.”

Owens gave up six hits, three walks and one hit batter. He escaped heavy damage with the help of four double plays and that change-up. Carlos Beltran popped up a change-up with two outs and runners on second and third in the fifth.

It helped that Owens was facing the offensively struggling Yankees, last in the league in hitting with runners in scoring position (.191).

Owens was coming off a horrible first major league start of 2016, lasting only 31/3 innings in Houston, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks.

“He just has to tighten up his fastball command,” catcher Ryan Hanigan said before Friday’s game. “Henry is more than capable of doing it.”

Farrell agreed: “Fastball command and getting ahead in the count will be key.”

Getting ahead? Owens began the game by walking Jacoby Ellsbury on four pitches, all fastballs. The third registered at 85 mph and the Fenway pitch-board operator incorrectly labeled it a change-up.

Owens threw a first-pitch strike 9 of 24 times. One of those was an 87 mph fastball into the wheelhouse of Alex Rodriguez. It quickly left Fenway, hitting the light pole in left-center.

Of Owens’ 92 pitches, he threw 33 fastballs and only 14 for strikes.

The fastball was anything but tight. Owens varied his pitches with 32 change-ups – including a beauty to strike out Mark Teixeira in the sixth – 17 curves and 10 sliders.

“He has a good assortment of secondary pitches to use,” Farrell said.

In Houston, Owens relied mostly on fastballs and change-ups. He needed a better mix, especially with the fastball disappearing.

Owens said he wasn’t concerned with his decreased velocity – “I know it’s there. I might have been aiming too much” – but he also knew the fastball wasn’t working Friday.

“I came out too erratic, trying to do too much,” he said. “I had to look for a pitch that’s working. As the game went on, I was able to work both sides of the plate better. Early on, I stayed soft and kept some guys off balance, and got some big outs.

“Ryan Hanigan called an incredible game. Hats off to him and an impeccable defense behind me.

“The resiliency of this team is awesome. Just to get through six innings, let the bullpen do their thing and Papi did what Papi does.”

And Owens hung in there. This game could not have gotten out of hand early. The game stayed close despite so many Yankees on the bases. He will not always be able to escape such trouble.

Henry Owens needs to find his fastball.

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