NEW YORK -- It is a series that has been circled on the Yankees' calendars for months, according to Aaron Judge, who said that the long wait to begin the rivalry built the anticipation level for hosting the Red Sox in front of an energetic crowd once again.

Judge belted his team-leading 14th homer, but otherwise, the soggy offense didn't provide much for the largest Yankee Stadium audience of the season to cheer. The Yankees absorbed a 5-2 loss to the Red Sox on Friday evening and have lost three of five games so far during this "rivalry week" against American League East opponents.

"I can't put my finger on it. Guys are working their tails off," said infielder DJ LeMahieu, who had two of the Yankees' eight hits. "Individually, collectively, we just haven't put a great week or a great month together yet. We're all frustrated."

The Yankees struck out a season-high-tying 15 times and have been held to two runs or fewer in eight of their last 11 contests -- all losses. New York faced an uphill climb five batters into the game, when Rafael Devers unloaded on an 0-2 fastball from Michael King, rocketing a three-run homer halfway up the second deck in right field. It proved to be enough.

"We had a few opportunities to do damage, but we hit into a few double plays," said infielder Gleyber Torres. "It was a tough night for us. We really didn't do too much."

King settled in, pitching into the sixth inning, but he was outdueled by former Yankee Nathan Eovaldi. The right-hander carried a shutout into the sixth with help from a pair of key double plays, inducing Judge to hit into a twin killing in the first inning and Giancarlo Stanton bouncing into the Bombers' Major League-leading 54th double play in the sixth.

"We're not helping our pitchers like we know we can," LeMahieu said. "And it's not one guy. It's all of us."

Stanton's double play preceded Judge's opposite-field solo homer. Two hits and a double-error charged to the first baseman Marwin Gonzalez allowed Gio Urshela to score New York's second run.

The Yankees managed only one more baserunner the rest of the way, with Boston relievers Hirokazu Sawamura and Matt Barnes pitching hitless ball. New York's Nos. 6-9 hitters (Rougned Odor, Clint Frazier, Gary Sánchez and Brett Gardner) went a combined 0-for-15 with 10 strikeouts.

"We expanded the zone a little too much down there," manager Aaron Boone said. "I thought Fraz got a couple of good swings off; Gardy hit a ball hard to first. For the most part, it was a little bit of expanding the zone down there and it led to some of the strikeouts."

King's immaculate inning
Though King was saddled with the loss, the 26-year-old claimed ownership of the seventh immaculate inning in Yankees history, striking out the side in the fourth inning on nine pitches.

King retired Hunter Renfroe, Gonzalez and Christian Vázquez to achieve the feat, the Yankees' first immaculate inning since Dellin Betances on Aug. 2, 2017, vs. Detroit. King followed the frame with a four-pitch fifth, finishing the night with 66 pitches.

"I knew it after the first three-pitch punchout; I was like, 'That was kind of cool,'" King said. "Once I got eight strikes in a row, I was trying to throw a curveball away to Vázquez. I was like, 'I've got to try to execute this one and get it.' I guess it's cool, but I'd rather win a game than throw an immaculate inning."

Rivalry renewed
Though their dormant offense made winning a tall task on Friday, the Yankees have had the upper hand in the most recent chapters of the rivalry against the Red Sox. The Yanks have won 17 of their last 20 games against the Sox, including a 9-1 mark against them last season.

Boston had lost 11 straight at Yankee Stadium before shaking hands on the field after Friday's game, not that it mattered to a dissatisfied audience of 18,040 -- the largest crowd in the Bronx since the 2019 postseason. Boos rained down after Barnes struck out Sánchez for the final out, Sánchez's fourth whiff of the night.

"Every game is a big game," LeMahieu said. "We know what's at stake, and we know when our offense is going, our offense can carry us. In that respect, it's frustrating."