DJ LeMahieu helps Yankees move 8 1/2 games ahead of Red Sox

An undercurrent to this latest edition of Yankees-Red Sox that neither club was much interested in discussing was this rarity:

Even though the calendar will have just flipped to June, a Yankees series win could put an insurmountable distance between them and Boston in the AL East race.

Even if they didn’t want to talk about it, the Yankees took a step toward that end Friday night. With Aaron Boone managing aggressively — he had his full bullpen at his disposal and used it, pulling an effective J.A. Happ after five innings — and DJ LeMahieu further bolstering his case as team MVP, the Yankees beat the Red Sox, 4-1, in front of 45,556 at the Stadium.

The Yankees (37-19), who have gone 31-10 since their 6-9 start, moved 8 1⁄2 games ahead of Boston (29-28). They also gained a game on the second-place Rays, who are 1 1⁄2 games behind.

“It’s a good number, but we’re basically just past a third of the way through the season,”  Boone said. “There’s such a long way to go. Enjoy this for a minute in that we went out and got a win against a great pitcher, then turn the page.”

Aaron Hicks, whose two-out, two-run single off Chris Sale snapped a 1-1 tie in a three-run third, reflected Boone’s thoughts. “We’re just trying to get Ws,” he said. “We’re trying to win series and continue to put the pressure on other teams.”

LeMahieu went 2-for-4 with a home run, drove in two runs and scored two, continuing his mastery of the bat with runners in scoring position. Said Hicks, “That guy rakes.”

Happ (5-3) allowed one run and three hits in five innings in lowering his ERA from 5.09 to 4.83. The lefthander, now 9-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 23 regular-season games (22 starts) against the Red Sox, was aided by a heads-up play by Gary Sanchez in the fifth. With two on, two outs and the dangerous Andrew Benintendi at the plate, Sanchez fired to second to pick off a straying Eduardo Nuñez, with shortstop Gleyber Torres applying an outstanding tag. “Gary’s cannon helped out there,” Happ said.

Sanchez said he noticed Nuñez venturing further and further off the bag during the at-bat. “I just noticed it was a big lead, more than usual,” Sanchez said through his translator. “When you see something like that, you put the play in motion.”

Sale (1-7, 4.35), who entered the game with terrific career statistics against the Yankees (6-5, 1.87), pitched to his 2019 numbers. He struck out 10 in six innings but allowed four runs and seven hits. After he struck out the side on sliders in the first, the Yankees adjusted to his repertoire by the third.

Rafael Devers gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the second, destroying an inviting full-count fastball for his eighth homer. At the point that Devers hit it, Happ had allowed 15 homers in 59 1⁄3 innings, but he settled down.

Thursday’s rainout put all of Boone’s power arms at his disposal, and with the Yankees leading 4-1 after five innings, he began deploying them. Adam Ottavino, Tommy Kahnle and Zack Britton each pitched a scoreless inning to get the ball to Aroldis Chapman, who recorded his 16th save in 17 chances. The four combined to allow two hits and a walk.

“Our bullpen, they came in and did what they do and what they’ve been doing,” Happ said. “It’s impressive. It’s a lot harder than they’re making it look.”

To this point of the season, the same might be said of the Yankees.