The New York Yankees reached the halfway point on pace for 96 victories, but some of their recent showings did not reflect a team holding the best record in the American League.

New York attempts to avoid a third straight loss Saturday when they visit the Boston Red Sox, who are seeking three straight home wins for the second time this season.

The Yankees are 12-10 since losing Aaron Judge to a fractured right rib, but the past week is different from their showing in the first few weeks without their captain. New York won nine of the first 13 games without Judge but heads into Saturday with six losses in nine games and trying to avoid three straight losses for the second time in the past week.

New York is hitting .211 in its past nine games after going 3-for-30 in Friday’s 6-1 loss. Spencer Jones had the lone hit in seven innings off left-hander Payton Tolle while Anthony Volpe and Jasson Dominguez had the other hits. It marked the sixth time this season the Yankees were held to three hits or fewer.

“It’s not like we were smoking the ball,” manager Aaron Boone said after the Yankees fell to 48-33. “You’re going to have those nights. It’s a good pitcher executing. It can be a tough game sometimes. Obviously just had a hard time struggling to mount anything, but no issue with where our preparation and focus (is). We just got beat tonight.”

The Red Sox won three straight home games April 7-8 when they beat Milwaukee and April 17 when they beat Detroit. Boston is 14-25 at home, and Friday marked the 11th time they scored more than five runs at home.

Willson Contreras helped the Red Sox score five or more runs for the fourth straight game with an RBI single and his 17th homer. Contreras homered after entering Friday with five hits in his previous 38 at-bats on the heels of a 15-for-41 (.366) showing in an 11-game span from June 2-14.

Boston’s pitching also has produced a quality start of six innings and three runs or fewer in nine straight games after Tolle retired the first 16 hitters and allowed three baserunners.

“It’s great,” Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said. “The at-bats have been really great these last two days, but watching those guys go out there and consistently pitch six innings or into the seventh is pretty impressive.”

Left-hander Jake Bennett (1-3, 3.71 ERA), who is taking the rotation spot of Brayan Bello, pitches for Boston and faces the Yankees for the first time. Bennett’s contribution to Boston’s quality start streak was six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in a no-decision on Monday in Colorado.

Gerrit Cole (2-2, 3.62), who is coming off his worst outing since returning from reconstructive elbow surgery, starts for the Yankees. Cole allowed season highs of five runs and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings while throwing 89 pitches during a 5-3 loss at Detroit on Monday.

Cole is 7-6 with a 5.23 ERA in 19 career starts against the Red Sox. At Fenway Park, the veteran right-hander is 2-3 with a 5.52 ERA in eight starts.

–Field Level Media