BOSTON -- Hanley Ramirez is a big reason why the Boston Red Sox are where they are.

For better or worse.

Just like the last Ramirez to play left field at Fenway Park, the Red Sox take the bad with the good. For every misplayed ball off the wall or base-running blunder, Ramirez reminds fans why he can be such a special player when he steps to the plate. That was the case again Saturday.

The left fielder's two-run homer in the fourth inning ignited the Boston offense and propelled the Red Sox to a 5-3 victory over the New York Yankees in the second game of a three-game weekend set between the American League East rivals at Fenway Park.

Ramirez (2-for-4) hit his 19th homer of the season and drove in his team-leading 44th and 45th RBIs on the 1-0 fastball he sent to right center to give them a 3-1 lead.

"As far as the first half goes, he gets off to a quick start, goes through a little bit of a slide, but he's been a key offensive contributor," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

Ramirez has displayed a knack for the clutch hit, too. Each of the slugger's last three long balls have given the Red Sox a lead, as well as four of his last five and five of his last seven.

On Saturday, he even performed a new trick -- hitting to the opposite field.

"It's the first time in a while he's driven a ball the other way like he did," Farrell said. "Saw a little bit more of a flatter string on a ball up in the strike zone that he drives out of the ballpark."

Left-handed rookie Eduardo Rodriguez (5-2) pitched well in his debut outing against the Yankees, limiting them to two runs, five hits and a walk while striking out two in 6 1/3 innings.

"For me, it was pretty big," Rodriguez said. "It was the first time I faced the Yankees and (I) get a game like that and get the win."

Center fielder Mookie Betts (2-for-4) tripled home Boston's fourth run with two outs in the seventh and shortstop Xander Bogaerts (1-for-4) reached on an infield single to plate Betts later in the inning.

Designated hitter David Ortiz was 2-for-3 and second baseman Brock Holt extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single to center in the third.

Right-hander Koji Uehara posted his 22nd save for Boston (42-46), which moved within 5 1/2 games of the AL East-leading Yankees heading into Sunday's series finale.

"Tonight was I think a key win for us with a chance to win the series tomorrow," Farrell said.

Ivan Nova (1-3) suffered from insufficient run support once again, losing his third straight for New York (47-40). The right-hander allowed four runs and eight hits and struck out three in 6 2/3 innings in his fourth game back since missing 71 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

"Besides the one pitch to Hanley, he was pretty good," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He left the one pitch, the fastball, up and he paid for it."

Alex Rodriguez delivered a carbon copy of Friday's first-inning home run, sending an 89 mph changeup over the wall in left to put the Yankees up 1-0 in the first inning. It was the designated hitter's 18th home run of the season, and it came on a 2-1 pitch with two outs, just like his blast Friday.

Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury went 3-for-4 and was booed as his second home run of the season sailed into his former team's bullpen with one out in the sixth, bringing the Yankees within one run at 3-2.

Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner doubled with two down in the eighth to score Ellsbury and pull within two again at 5-3. Second baseman Rob Refsnyder, called up from Triple-A on Saturday, grounded into a double play in his first at-bat and was 0-for-3 in his debut.

"It was special," Refsnyder said of his first big league game. "I would have liked to get a hit and help the team win. It's something I'll remember."

NOTES: New York had won five games in a row at Fenway Park entering Saturday. ... Yankees INF Cole Figueroa was optioned to Triple-A and OF Mason Williams was transferred to the 60-day disabled list. ... Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a right flexor muscle strain after leaving Friday's game. His MRI exam revealed no ligament damage. ... LHP Brian Johnson was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket and RHP Dalier Hinojosa was designated for assignment. ... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia likely won't be activated this weekend. ... Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi faces Red Sox LHP Wade Miley on Sunday.