BOSTON — It is hard to pinpoint exactly where the Yankees lost it all against Boston on Thursday night — getting off the team bus, perhaps — but, aside from the offensive avalanche led by Steve Pearce’s three home runs, the fourth inning would be a good place to start.
The Yankees had not completely unraveled by then, their 15-7 defeat to the Red Sox far from sealed. In fact, they were holding a two-run lead when reliever Jonathan Holder — on because starter C.C. Sabathia had wilted in the 87-degree heat — gloved Andrew Benintendi’s one-hop smash with runners at second and third.