Yankees keep Red Sox from clinching AL East with 3-2 win

Neil Walker hit a three-run homer with one out in the seventh inning and the New York Yankees held on for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox, preventing their rivals from clinching the AL East crown Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees set up their winning rally when Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez drew walks off Brandon Workman (6-1). Boston manager Alex Cora lifted Workman for Ryan Brasier, who fell behind Walker and lost the lead when the first baseman lifted a full-count slider into the second deck in right field.

It was Walker's 10th homer and he became the 11th Yankee to reach double figures in homers. The Yankees tied a major league record by becoming the fifth team to achieve the feat.

Walker's homer nearly wasn't enough as the Yankees were charged with two errors in the ninth as Zach Britton stumbled before recording his second save with the team.

A fielding error by second baseman Gleyber Torres put runners at first and third with one out and a throwing error by Britton on a play at second allowed the Red Sox to make it a one-run game.

Britton finally closed it by turning a double play on Ian Kinsler.

J.A. Happ remained unbeaten as a Yankee, allowing only an unearned run on J.D. Martinez's sacrifice fly in the third, but he left trailing 1-0 after six.

Chad Green (8-2) pitched a perfect seventh and David Robertson worked around a one-out triple to Martinez in a scoreless eighth.

Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge returned to the starting lineup and went 0-for-4.

Heavy rain pushed back the start time six hours but allowed Judge to take swings in a simulated game and get medically cleared to face live pitching for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26 against Kansas City.

The Yankees (92-58) entered the game 1 1/2 games ahead of Oakland in the wild-card race. Oakland was hosting the Los Angeles Angels late Tuesday.

Eovaldi allowed two hits in six innings and nearly helped the Red Sox win their 10th division title and third straight division crown. The Red Sox (103-48) get two chances to secure the title at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years.

The Red Sox played without Mookie Betts, who injured his left side Sunday. Cora said Betts would have played if the field was not wet from the afternoon downpour.