BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox continued their offensive funk Thursday night, losing to the New York Yankees 3-0 at Fenway Park.
Boston, which had only four hits on Wednesday, managed three on Thursday against Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka.
Tanaka dazzled in a complete game: no walks, three strikeouts.
Red Sox ace Chris Sale pitched into the ninth inning. He allowed an unearned run in the fourth and then left in the ninth after giving up three straight hits.
Sale finished with 10 strikeouts, allowing eight hits and three runs (two unearned).
Boston has lost two straight to New York and is 11-10. The Yankees improved to 13-7.
Sale was dominant early, striking out seven of the first 10 batters he faced. But the Yankees turned one hit in the fourth inning into a run.
Aaron Hicks led off with a line-drive single to right that Mookie Betts initially charged in on, and then backed up.
Chase Headley hit a hard bouncer up the middle that Sale knocked down. He threw Headley out as Hicks slid into second base.
With Matt Holliday up, catcher Sandy Leon appeared crossed up on a slider. It was a strike but got past Leon, advancing Hicks to third.
Holliday, who struck out in a seven-pitch at-bat in the first inning, worked a 10-pitch at-bat in the fourth, finally lining out to left field, scoring Hicks on the sacrifice.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, could do little against Tanaka, putting only three runners on base.
Hanley Ramirez (2 for 3) led off the second inning with a single, and advanced to second on Mitch Moreland’s groundout. But Ramirez stayed there, as Xander Bogaerts flied out to shallow right, and Jackie Bradley Jr. grounded out.
It would be the only time Boston got a runner to second base.
Ramirez had a two-out single in the fourth, and was forced at second to end the inning.
Bogaerts led off the fifth with a single. But Bradley hit into a 3-6-3 double play.
Sale gave up consecutive singles to Hicks, Headley and Holliday in the ninth, leaving with the score 2-0 and two runners on. Heath Hembree gave up an RBI single to Starlin Castro.
NOTES: The Red Sox signed utility player Chase d’Arnaud, 30, who was waived by the Braves. A right-handed batter, d’Arnaud has played every position in the majors except catcher, first base and pitcher. He is expected to be activated Friday, which could mean Steve Selsky is headed to Pawtucket. … To make room for d’Arnaud on the 40-man roster, reliever Carson Smith was moved to the 60-day disabled list. Smith, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, “had to slow down” in his rehab, Red Sox Manager John Farrell said. Smith stopped throwing off the mound two weeks ago because of soreness. He is currently in a long-toss program. … Utility player Brock Holt (vertigo) is close to leaving the disabled list. He took part in batting practice and ran the bases before Thursday’s game. He will join Pawtucket soon on a rehab assignment. … David Price (elbow) is scheduled to pitch two simulated innings against hitters on Saturday. Farrell said the goal is to put Price on a regular rotation schedule, pitching simulated games every five days, building up his arm strength.
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