Yankees will host AL wild-card game

BOSTON — The Yankees clinched home-field advantage for the AL wild-card game Friday night, hitting four homers to tie the major league single-season record and beat the Red Sox 11-6.

Reigning Rookie of the Year Aaron Judge hit his first homer since coming off the disabled list Sept. 14, and Gary Sanchez, Aaron Hicks and Luke Voit also homered to match the mark of 264 set by the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

The win in the opener of the three-game series settled the AL’s last remaining postseason question with two games to go. The Yankees will host the Athletics on Wednesday for the right to play the Red Sox in the divisional round.

J.A. Happ (17-6) pitched three perfect innings and allowed just one hit through five. Staked to an 8-0 lead, he loaded the bases in the sixth for Steve Pearce’s grand slam but got Rafael Devers on a groundout to end the inning.

In all, Happ allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, striking out seven in six innings. He would be on regular rest for the wild-card game, but manager Aaron Boone has not announced his postseason pitching plans.

Sanchez homered to lead off the third, just his second homer and fourth hit of any kind in two weeks. Hicks hit a three-run shot in the Yankees’ six-run fourth. Voit hit a solo shot in the seventh and Judge hit his 27th of the year in the eighth to make it 11-4.

Shortstop Didi Grigorius returned to the lineup for the first time since last Saturday because of torn cartilage in his right wrist.

Hicks also returned to the lineup; he missed two games with tightness in his left hamstring.

Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson (4-5) allowed two runs in three innings.