Neil Walker hit a three-run homer with one out in the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees held on for a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox, preventing their rivals from clinching the American League East crown Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees set up their winning rally when Aaron Hicks and Gary Sanchez drew walks off Brandon Workman (6-1). Boston manager Alex Cora lifted Workman for Ryan Brasier, who fell behind Walker and lost the lead when the first baseman lifted a full-count slider into the second deck in right field.

It was Walker's 10th homer, and he became the 11th Yankee to reach double figures in long balls this year. The Yankees tied a major league record in becoming the fifth team to achieve the feat.

Walker's homer nearly wasn't enough as the Yankees were charged with two errors in the ninth while Zach Britton stumbled before recording his second save with the team.

A fielding error by second baseman Gleyber Torres put runners at first and third with one out, and a throwing error by Britton on a play at second allowed the Red Sox to make it a one-run game.

Britton finally closed it by turning a double play on Ian Kinsler.

J.A. Happ remained unbeaten as a Yankee, allowing only an unearned run on J.D. Martinez's sacrifice fly in the third, but he left trailing 1-0 after six innings.

Chad Green (8-2) pitched a perfect seventh and David Robertson worked around a one-out triple to Martinez in a scoreless eighth.

Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge returned to the starting lineup and went 0-for-4.

Heavy rain pushed back the start time six hours but allowed Judge to take swings in a simulated game and get medically cleared to face live pitching for the first time since breaking his right wrist July 26 against Kansas City.

The Yankees (92-58) moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Oakland in the wild-card race. The A's lost 9-7 to the Los Angeles Angels late Tuesday.

Nathan Eovaldi allowed two hits in six scoreless innings and nearly helped the Red Sox win their 10th division title and third straight division crown. Boston (103-48) gets two more chances to secure the title at Yankee Stadium for the second time in three years.

The Red Sox played without Mookie Betts, who injured his left side Sunday. Cora said Betts would have played if the field had not been wet from the afternoon downpour.

--Field Level Media