BOSTON – Alex Rodriguez and the Yankees got the best of Curt Schilling this time.

With the bloody-ankled hero of Boston’s 2004 World Series victory debuting in his new job as a reliever, Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to break a ninth-inning tie and the Yankees beat the Red Sox 8-6 last night to close within 1 1/2 games of first place in the AL East.

Flashbulbs popped and the sold-out crowd at Fenway Park stood to cheer for Schilling in the sixth when he went out to the bullpen, where he’s been shifted to fill a need while closer Keith Foulke recovers from knee surgery. The fans gave him another standing ovation when he came in to pitch the ninth.

But Schilling (1-3) gave up a dart of a double to Gary Sheffield to start the inning, then Rodriguez homered over the bleachers in left-center. Schilling, who had been on the disabled list since April 23, retired the next three batters to complete his first relief appearance since a late-season tuneup in 2002.

Tom Gordon (3-3) pitched one hitless inning, and Mariano Rivera struck out all three batters in the ninth for his 21st save in 23 tries; both blown saves were against Boston during the season’s opening series. Jason Giambi, Bernie Williams, and Sheffield also homered for the Yankees.

New York is within 1 1/2 games of the division lead for the first time since winning at Fenway on April 13.

Schilling has struggled to recover from ankle surgery, and when Foulke went on the disabled list, the Red Sox decided to put their ace in the bullpen to plug the gap. He had not relieved regularly since 1992, when the Phillies first promoted him to the rotation.

But Schilling proved no better than Foulke – and the Red Sox could be scrambling for another reliever as the trade deadline approaches.

Giambi’s homer was his sixth in seven games, and Sheffield homered for the third consecutive game. Williams connected off starter Bronson Arroyo one day after attending the pitcher’s concert at a Boston nightclub.

Schilling threw a few warmup pitches before the seventh inning, then sat back down. At the start of the ninth, he jogged out of the bullpen to the infield as the crowd went wild.

Jason Varitek met him at the mound for a brief conference, then Schilling made his usual trip behind the mound to collect his thoughts.

He threw a 91 mph fastball to Sheffield on the first pitch, but his splitters stayed up and Sheffield sent one on a 2-2 count off the left-center portion of the Green Monster scoreboard. Rodriguez followed with a mammoth shot over the camera in straightaway center.

Johnny Damon led off the first with a single to extend his hitting streak to 26 games – the most in the majors this season. He stole second, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on David Ortiz’s single. Manny Ramirez walked, then Trot Nixon homered down the right-field line to make it 4-0. Giambi and Williams homered in the second to make it 4-2.