J.A. Happ pitched effectively into the sixth inning, Mike Ford drove in three runs and the host New York Yankees continued their domination of the Boston Red Sox with a 4-2 victory Sunday night.

In his first start since issuing six walks in the first game of a doubleheader at Philadelphia on Aug. 5, Happ (1-1) allowed one run on three hits in 5 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA from 10.29 to 6.39.

The veteran left-hander struck out three, walked two and threw 75 pitches to improve to 5-0 against Boston as a Yankee.

Ford hit an RBI single in the first inning off Chris Mazza (0-1), and then hit a two-run homer in the third to give New York a 4-1 lead. New York scored its other run in the second on a double by Aaron Hicks, when the ball bounced off the first base bag and over the head of first baseman Michael Chavis.

The Yankees improved to 6-0 in the season series against Boston and are on their first nine-game winning streak in the rivalry since the 1952-1953 seasons. New York also picked up its latest win over Boston after putting DJ LeMahieu on the injured list with a sprained right thumb.

Kevin Pillar homered in the third for the Red Sox, whose losing streak reached seven games. Boston is 1-14 in the past 15 meetings with the Yankees, and is also 1-14 in its past 15 trips to Yankee Stadium.

Mazza, who became the 11th different starter for the Red Sox, allowed four runs on eight hits in three innings. He struck out four and walked one in his first career start.

Happ exited after walking Rafael Devers on four pitches with two out in the sixth. Adam Ottavino walked J.D. Martinez and retired Xander Bogaerts to end the sixth before getting the first out of the seventh.

Chad Green relieved Ottavino in the seventh and allowed a double to Alex Verdugo and walked Mitch Moreland. Green got a popup and a lineout to end the inning unscathed, and he fanned two in a 1-2-3 eighth.

In the ninth, Zack Britton allowed a one-out double to Christian Vazquez and then made a fielding error on a soft grounder by Jose Peraza.

After Peraza took second on a passed ball, Britton fanned Kevin Plawecki to secure his eighth save in as many opportunities.

--Field Level Media