Papi, Price have frustration-filled night

NEW YORK — David Ortiz would have loved nothing more than to kick off his final few days as an active player at Yankee Stadium with a clinch party.

And the opportunities for the big slugger at the venue he calls his favorite place were tantalizingly frequent on Tuesday night, but ultimately not fruitful in a 6-4 loss to the Yankees.

The champagne remains on ice and the magic number for clinching the American League East is still at one because the Bronx Bombers actually iced Big Papi this time. The defeat snapped an 11-game winning streak for Boston. The Red Sox merely have to win one of their final five games — or have the Blue Jays lose one — to be division champs.

But it wouldn’t have been Ortiz and Yankee Stadium without drama, and the stage was set in the ninth inning.

With the Red Sox down a pair, Ortiz represented the go-ahead run. With a home run, the clubhouse attendants would have been scurrying around the visitors’ clubhouse to place plastic in front of all the lockers.

“Yeah, I mean, that’s what he always does,” said Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts. “He comes through in those situations. Nobody’s perfect. So he’ll be ready to go tomorrow.

Give credit …

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