MLB

Yankees rough up Red Sox

BOSTON — It wasn’t Pedro Martinez standing over a fallen Don Zimmer on the Fenway Park turf eight years ago. Nor was it Manny Ramirez screaming at Roger Clemens. Or a fight with a Red Sox groundskeeper breaking out in the Yankees’ bullpen.

Yet, last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game had more than the usual juice that fuels the greatest rivalry in the sports world.

And when the Yankees’ 5-2 win was posted, the visitors had plenty to say about John Lackey hitting Francisco Cervelli in the back and third base umpire Mark Wegner ejecting pitching coach Larry Rothschild and Joe Girardi.

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“I didn’t like it,” CC Sabathia said of Lackey drilling Cervelli in the seventh inning, two frames after Cervelli homered off Lackey and clapped his hands as he dented the plate.

Asked what he said to Lackey when each teams’ players made their way to the infield, Sabathia responded, “You will have to read lips.”

Girardi believed his backup catcher was hit intentionally but didn’t see the emotional Cervelli clap his hands as he crossed the plate.

The Yankees’ third win in 13 tries against their blood rivals, which pulled them to within one-half game of the Red Sox in the AL East, had many contributors.

Sabathia threw a season-high 128 pitches and grinded through six innings in which he gave up 10 hits but only two runs, fanned 10 and improved to 1-4 against the Red Sox this season.

“It’s a huge game and a huge series,” said Sabathia, who improved to 18-7.

Even though they gave up hits and were fortunate liners found fielders’ leather, Cory Wade, Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano and Mariano Rivera provided three scoreless innings of relief on a night when David Robertson wasn’t available because he worked the previous two evenings.

Rivera recorded the final three outs to post his 35th save of the season and 594th of his career. He trails Trevor Hoffman by seven for the all-time record.

Eric Chavez, playing in place of Alex Rodriguez, drove in two runs and Cano had an RBI double off the Green Monster.

Having already ejected Rothschild in the seventh when the pitching coach accused Lackey of hitting Cervelli on purpose, Wegner sent Girardi to the clubhouse in the ninth after ruling Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia didn’t swing at a Rivera pitch that hit him in the leg. Saltalamacchia was the second baserunner of the inning and brought the potential tying run to the plate with two outs.

“He said he got hit and it caused him to swing,” said Girardi, who raced from the dugout toward Wegner who immediately tossed the manager because balls and strikes can’t be argued. However, that didn’t stop Girardi from screaming at Wegner and throwing his hat to the ground. “He clearly swung to me. It’s not like me to blow my top but these are important games.”

That was evident by the amount of pitches Girardi allowed his ace to throw. Also by the emotions that spilled.

As for the high pitch count, Girardi and Sabathia pointed to the extra rest Sabathia has received this month as a reason he shouldn’t be affected during the final month of the season when the AL East pennant will likely be decided in the last week of September.

“It’s always a big win when you beat the team you are chasing,” Sabathia said.

Especially because the Red Sox were 10-2 against the Yankees and 4-0 versus their No. 1 starter.

george.king@nypost.com