Mourning close friend, Jazz reaches 100 career HRs to lead Yanks past Red Sox

NEW YORK -- It was about four hours before the first pitch on Sunday evening, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. arrived at Yankee Stadium with a heavy heart, still processing the passing of a close friend.

From the front seat of his vehicle, Chisholm tapped out an Instagram post, using the word “unbelievable.” When Chisholm rounded the bases for his milestone 100th home run early in the Yankees’ 7-2 victory over the Red Sox, it was impossible not to think about forces greater than baseball.

“It felt kind of surreal. I lost my best friend yesterday,” Chisholm said. “Today felt like a different type of day, especially with the 100th home run coming today. I’ve been going through a lot in the last 30 hours.”

Chisholm homered twice, a two-run drive in the second inning and another in the eighth. Television cameras caught him shedding tears in the dugout after his first homer, teammates simultaneously congratulating and consoling him.

Trent Grisham also slugged two solo homers, helping the Yankees salvage the series finale after losing the first three games of the rivalry set.

“It was definitely not the weekend we wanted to have, especially coming off a really good road trip, but it was a good win nonetheless,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Speaking softly in the center of the clubhouse late on Sunday, Chisholm said he preferred to keep private the details of his friend’s passing.

His focus was on the field, where the Yanks played a mostly clean game, snapping an eight-game skid against Boston (now 2-8 this year) while pulling back within a half-game of the top AL Wild Card spot.

“We definitely needed this one tonight,” Chisholm said. “A little momentum going into the next series. We’re trying to make it to the playoffs, but we’re definitely just trying to take it day by day and win by win.”

Carlos Rodón started for New York and picked up his team-leading 14th win. He was dominant through five innings, limiting the Sox to one hit on 66 pitches.

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Trouble found him in the sixth, when the left-hander issued three of his five walks and left the bases loaded for Luke Weaver, who surrendered a pinch-hit two-run single to Nathaniel Lowe. But New York’s bullpen steadied from there, combining for 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief.

“Tonight we knew we had to win,” Rodón said. “The boys swung the bats well. Defensively we had some double plays turned. The infield was great. It was a good win.”

It has been key for Rodón to keep the ball in the yard. He improved to 10-2 with a 1.48 ERA when not allowing a homer.

“It was a good outing for him, especially with the context of coming off a few losses,” Boone said. “To go out there and settle things down was big.”

After Weaver logged four outs, Devin Williams struck out two in a spotless eighth. It has been an unexpectedly bumpy season for Williams, a two-time National League Reliever of the Year with the Brewers.

But he has not allowed an earned run in his last seven games (since Aug. 10), striking out 15 of 22 batters faced over that span.

“It’s really good seeing him just continuing to pitch really well,” Boone said. “A lot of things have gone on this year. That’s a credit to him and the quality of pitcher he is, but just the fortitude to keep going. Certainly, that’s what he’s capable of.”

Starting in place of slumping shortstop Anthony Volpe, José Caballero lifted a fourth-inning sacrifice fly. Five of the Yanks’ seven runs were scored against Dustin May, who lasted 4 1/3 innings.

In the eighth inning, Volpe entered as a defensive replacement, with Caballero shifting to right field in place of Giancarlo Stanton, who had two hits and scored a pair of runs.

Volpe told reporters late Sunday that he has been told he will be on the bench for Monday’s series opener against the Nationals, but will start on Tuesday. Boone lauded Caballero -- a July 31 pickup from the Rays -- as a “really good, winning” addition to the roster.

“That’s the kind of 10th man you want,” Boone said. “He can go legit play defense at four, five different spots and be good at it, and give you a little something in the batter’s box, too. And then, obviously, what he’s able to do on the bases, just a heady player. He complements our team really well.”