BOSTON — As each day leaks out of a season speeding toward an end, the Yankees lose time off the calendar no matter if they play well, poorly or not at all.
The vanishing days they have no control over. The games on those days? On Friday and Saturday, they fell into the same file as the days of the month.
For the second straight game at Fenway Park, the Yankees got rolled by the Red Sox, 5-1, in front of 37,510.
Friday night they learned Brett Gardner is likely through as a center fielder and leadoff hitter this season because of a strained left oblique muscle.
Shortly before Saturday’s game, cleanup man Alfonso Soriano was scratched with a sprained right thumb.
CC Sabathia, who gave up five runs, nine hits and four walks in the loss, said he isn’t hurt, but he wasn’t very good, either.
“I felt like my stuff was off. I felt like I was behind everybody and that’s tough because with a team like they have, you can’t get in bad counts,’’ said Sabathia (13-13), who long ago vacated the title of staff ace. “It’s tough when you don’t have good stuff. It hasn’t been good all year. I need to be better.’’
So, after a second straight loss to their longtime rivals, who are running away with the AL East title, the Yankees are three games behind the Rays — four in the loss column. Tampa Bay defeated the lowly Twins 7-0 in Minneapolis.
While the Red Sox took advantage of Sabathia’s inconsistent command to score once in the second, twice in the third and solo runs in the fourth and fifth, the Yankees were handcuffed by Jon Lester.
“He moved the ball around really well and threw his cutter effectively,’’ maanger Joe Girardi said of the lefty, who allowed one run and three hits and looks like an ace the AL East-leading Red Sox can feel comfortable riding during the postseason. “He threw a lot of strikes and seemed to be ahead of all our guys.”
Lester (14-8), who has won four of five, allowed a run and three hits.
Curtis Granderson, who has replaced Gardner in center field and atop the lineup, tripled and doubled off Lester. Brendan Ryan’s single was the other Yankees hit.
Alex Rodriguez incurred a hamstring problem, Austin Romine suffered a concussion and Ivan Nova’s elbow barked Tuesday. Derek Jeter’s season ended Wednesday when he went on the disabled list. Gardner’s oblique blew out Thursday.
Yet, Girardi refuses to give in.
“We have done a good job dealing with it and handling it,’’ the Yankees manager said of the bevy of injuries that sabotaged his team’s season. “Our guys have done a good job of responding and they will do it again.’’
After Hiroki Kuroda and Sabathia were punished by a balanced and deep Red Sox lineup, Nova goes Sunday after complaining of a biceps problem in Baltimore that limited him to six innings, 79 pitches and a drop in velocity.
“It’s only a must-win when it’s an elimination game,’’ Girardi said of Sunday’s game. “But I think it’s a real important game.’’
The calendar is out of their control and 13 games remain. If Sunday resembles Friday and Saturday, so too will October.