Yankees 3, Red Sox 2: Carlos Beltran went 3-for-4 with a home run and Ivan Nova worked 7 1/3 strong innings as New York clinched a series win over visiting Boston.

Brett Gardner added two hits and scored a run for the Yankees, who sat Derek Jeter (quad) for the second straight day. Nova (2-1) ran into some early trouble but limited the damage to two runs and eight hits without walking a batter before David Phelps worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth and Shawn Kelley pitched the ninth for his third save.

Mike Napoli hit a solo home run and Jonathan Herrera drove in a run as the Red Sox dropped three of four in the series. Felix Doubront (1-2) went 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and three walks for Boston, which was missing Dustin Pedroia (wrist).

New York ran itself out of a chance for a big inning in the first and the Red Sox took advantage in the second when Herrera’s single scored Ryan Roberts for a 1-0 lead. The Yankees got on the board in the third when Gardner singled and Beltran followed with a line drive into the first row in left for his 361st career homer, tying Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio for 78th all-time.

A pair of walks leading off the fourth ended up in a run when Francisco Cervelli grounded into a fielder’s choice that pushed Brian McCann across, and Napoli’s blast in the sixth chopped it back to a one-run deficit. Ichiro Suzuki made a leaping catch at the wall in right to rob David Ortiz of extra bases in the eighth and Phelps struck out Mike Carp to end the inning with the bases loaded, cancelling Boston’s best threat.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Yankees had a chance to jump on top in the first inning on a sacrifice fly to center but Jacoby Ellsbury tried to advance to third on the play and was thrown out by Jackie Bradley Jr. before Beltran crossed home plate, ending the inning and taking the run away. … Cervelli (hamstring) was injured running through first base on the run-scoring fielder’s choice in the fourth that was reviewed and won by the Yankees, prompting Boston manager John Farrell to come out and argue before being ejected. … Beltran made his major-league debut at first base after Cervelli’s injury and Carp made his major-league debut at third after pinch hitting in the eighth.