BOSTON -- Christian Vazquez had a chat with Boston Red Sox batting coach Chili Davis as New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances was making his way to the Fenway Park mound in the seventh inning Sunday night.

Moments later, the young catcher hit a 97 mph, first-pitch fastball clear out of Fenway Park to provide the difference as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the floundering Yankees with an 8-7 victory.

"He throws hard. He throws a hundred (mph). I was trying to hit the fastball (out) in front," Vazquez said after his second career home run broke a 6-6 tie and helped lift the Red Sox into first place in the American League East.

Asked if it was as hard as he ever hit a ball, Vazquez, known more for his defense in his brief time in the major leagues, said, "As far, yeah."

He laughed. There is a lot of laughing going on in the Red Sox clubhouse these days. The Sunday win, in a game that started in steady rain, capped a 4-1 homestand and sent the Red Sox to Chicago for a three-game series with the White Sox -- the leaders of the AL Central -- with a 15-10 record. It also sent the last-place Yankees (8-15) to their fifth consecutive loss.

"Great moment, man," Vazquez said of his homer. "We put the team into first place. That was a great moment for us, for me, too."

And for David Price, the $217 million man who raised his record to 4-0 but saw his ERA climb to 6.14. Coming into 2016, Price was 6-1 with a 1.95 ERA in 11 starts at Fenway Park. He has an 8.34 ERA in four starts in his new home.

Earlier in the seventh inning with the score tieed, Price retired the first two Yankees hitters and had Alex Rodriguez coming up. The New York designated hitter already belted his 692nd career homer and added a two-run double for four RBIs. Junichi Tazawa was ready in the bullpen, and manager John Farrell made a rare non-change trip to the mound.

"(Price) was still in good shape in terms of the number of pitches thrown," Farrell said. "Just wanted to check with him."

Rodriguez, who earlier homered off Price for the second time in his career, grounded out, allowing the lefty to eventually get a win.

"I appreciate him leaving me in in that situation," Price said. "(Rodriguez is) tough -- he's got 3,000-plus hits. For (Farrell) to stick with me there, I definitely appreciate it."

Vazquez, who missed last season with Tommy John surgery, homered for the first time since Sept. 25, 2014. The RBIs were his first two in the 11 games he has played in 2016.

The Red Sox rallied from 3-1 and 6-4 deficits, Travis Shaw tying the game with a two-run homer in the fifth off Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi. Reliever Ivan Nova (1-1) got the loss when Betances, who yielded David Ortiz's winner Friday night, served up the long ball to Vazquez, further burying the Yankees in their worst start since 1984.

"I'm going to bet on Dellin's track record," manager Joe Girardi said. "I'm not worried about him. You get seven runs, you shouldn't lose. Pretty frustrating."

Betances said, "I made a mistake. I'll take the loss. I feel like it was my fault."

Betances has allowed homers in each of his past three appearances. He yielded six homers all of last season and didn't give up No. 3 until Aug. 23. It was the first time he ever allowed homers in two straight games to the same team.

The Yankees scored a run on a Koji Uehara wild pitch in the eighth, but Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a perfect ninth for his eighth save in nine chances.

Hanley Ramirez had a two-run single and Dustin Pedroia and Xander Bogaerts both had three hits for the Red Sox, while Jacoby Ellsbury had a pair of doubles for New York.

ESPN reported Price failed to strike anyone out in the first four innings of a start for the first time since 2010. He fanned three in his seven innings while allowing six runs on eight hits and one walk.

Eovaldi was touched for six runs on 10 hits and three walks in five-plus innings. He struck out three.

NOTES: RHP Carson Smith, who has yet to pitch for the Red Sox this season because of a right forearm strain but is being counted on as a vital addition to the bullpen, will be activated for Tuesday night's game in Chicago. The Red Sox announced INF Marco Hernandez was sent back to Triple-A, the team going with 13 pitchers as Smith eases back in. ... Despite hitting just .150 with no extra-base hits coming into the game, Yankees 3B Chase Headley was elevated to the sixth spot in the batting order for Sunday night's series finale with the Red Sox. There was a reason -- Headley was 8-for-19 against LHP David Price. He went 1-for-3 off Price but still doesn't have an extra-base hit ... Both teams are off Monday. On Tuesday, the Yankees visit the Baltimore Orioles, the third stop on their nine-game road trip. The Red Sox have three in Chicago and then three at Yankee Stadium.