The way Red Sox manager John Farrell saw it, David Price deserved to go back out for the seventh inning.
That was after the Sox ace worked through some turbulence during the first six innings and the Yankees had tagged him for six runs.
Price may have had some war wounds after giving up nine hits, but with only 84 pitches thrown up to that point, he still had some life in him.
“He was still in good shape in terms of the number of pitches thrown,” Farrell said. “It didn’t seem like his stuff was backing up . . . I thought he was still strong.”
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But after Price got Jacoby Ellsbury to pop up to second, then got Brett Gardner to ground out, Farrell had to at least consider his next move with Alex Rodriguez coming to the plate.
Rodriguez had already stung Price for a two-run homer into the monster seats in the third inning and a two-run double off the wall in the fifth.
Farrell had Junichi Tazawa warming up in the bullpen, but when he came out to the mound, he didn’t call for the right-hander.
“We know what Alex had done in the previous two at-bats. Just went out to check with him,” Farrell said.
Farrell approached Price with a simple question.
“He just asked me if I was going to make really good pitches in that situation,” Price said. “I told him absolutely.”
Price had a promise to keep.
He attacked Rodriguez with his fastball and cutter, careful not to leave any bait dangling for a slugger that had already made him pay twice.
On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, Price jammed Rodriguez with an inside fastball that Rodriguez grounded into the shift to end the inning.
Winning the battle put Price in line to earn the win in the Sox’ 8-7 victory.
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It was a battle that Farrell felt his ace deserved to fight.
“In that spot we wanted to give him an opportunity to win,” Farrell said. “And you know what, it worked out.”
The Sox swept the Yankees for the first time since 2013 and Price improved his record to 4-0.
“I appreciate [Farrell] leaving me out there in that situation,” Price said. “A guy that’s hit the ball against me well twice that night. So it was good.”
Historically, Price had dominated Rodriguez. Price had held Rodriguez to a .237 lifetime average in the 65 plate appearances against him before Sunday. He had struck Rodriguez out 24 times. Rodriguez hadn’t homered off Price since 2009.
“He’s a guy I’ve thrown the ball well against my entire career,” Price said. “I don’t know what his numbers are, but I feel like I’ve thrown the ball pretty well against him.”
But Rodriguez made Price pay for two mistakes.
“Both pitches were . . . up in the zone,” Price said. “That’s a guy I’ve faced a lot, so he makes it tough. He’s got 3,000-plus hits. I don’t know how many homers, but I know it’s a lot. He’s a tough hitter.”
Rodriguez’s third-inning blast was his 692nd career homer.
Price was able to salvage what would’ve been another troublesome start at Fenway Park, where things haven’t come easy for him so far. He’s 2-0 at home, but he’s given up 21 runs in four starts. On the road, he’s 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA.
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He chalked up the disparity to execution issues and nothing more.
“I haven’t executed in this ballpark as well as I know I’m capable of,” he said. “That’s frustrating, but that’s something I can fix.”
With the win, the Sox moved past the Orioles for first place. They’re five games over .500 for the first time since 2013.
Julian Benbow can be reached at jbenbow@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @julianbenbow.