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May 7, 2016 - 4:52 AM The last time David Price and Nathan Eovaldi took the mound opposite each other, the game ended up being about neither of them. Both were hit hard before the Boston Red Sox escaped with a series sweep over the New York Yankees earlier this week.

The last-place Yankees played soundly in the latest matchup, and Eovaldi will try to help them to a series win over Price and the visiting Red Sox on Saturday.

New York (10-17) won for just the second time in eight games with Friday's 3-2 victory in the opener, also just its second win in the last eight games of this series. Still, the Yankees are off to their worst start since 1991.

Aaron Hicks hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning and David Ortiz was ejected after striking out with the bases loaded in the ninth before Yankees closer Andrew Miller fanned Hanley Ramirez.

''We've been struggling,'' manager Joe Girardi said. ''I thought it was important that we win this game (Friday night).''

Boston manager John Farrell and Ortiz were tossed by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa for arguing balls and strikes in the ninth, closing a frustrating game for the Red Sox (17-12).

Ortiz had harsh words for Kulpa after he called a 3-1 slider a strike that would have tied the game if tabbed a ball.

''The bad thing about it is that the whole world watches these games,'' Ortiz said. ''The umpire was having a hard time in the game. It's a situation when the game is on the line, and (he's) got to focus better.''

Price will try to settle his shaky start with a rare positive performance against New York.

Price (4-0, 6.14 ERA) was hit hard by the Yankees earlier this week, adding to his inconsistent start in a Red Sox uniform. He surrendered eight hits and six runs in seven innings but still earned the win in Boston's 8-7 Sunday victory.

The left-hander has given up at least five runs in half of his six starts, and he holds a 4.17 ERA in 32 career appearances against the Yankees. That number balloons to 6.45 in the last seven meetings.

Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann have combined for six home runs in their careers against Price, while Jacoby Ellsbury has hit .366 with seven doubles, two triples and a homer in the matchup. Ellsbury's 71 at-bats against Price are the most of any MLB player, but he will likely be out for a few days after straining his hip on Friday.

Price has a 2.57 ERA in his two road starts, walking four and striking out 24 in 14 innings.

Eovaldi (1-2, 5.46) hopes to rebound from Sunday's disappointing effort against the Red Sox. The right-hander took a massive step back, getting knocked around for 10 hits and six runs in five innings.

Travis Shaw launched a fifth-inning two-run homer off Eovaldi, and the Red Sox finished off their sweep with their second straight eight-run, 14-hit game in this series.

Eovaldi has a 5.73 career ERA and 1.68 WHIP in four career starts against Boston, which has a .337 batting average in the matchup. Hanley Ramirez (6 for 16) and Dustin Pedroia (5 for 9) have homered off him.