NEW YORK — The Red Sox claimed Doug Fister off waivers in June after the Los Angeles Angels declined to add him to their major league roster. They needed a starter at the time and Fister was available, that was the extent of it.

Now the righthander could be part of a postseason rotation.

Fister pitched seven strong innings on Friday night as the Red Sox beat the Yankees, 4-1, before a crowd of 42,332 in the Bronx.

“He’s been such a boost to our team and to the rotation,’’ Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

Home runs by Andrew Benintendi, Eduardo Nunez, and Hanley Ramirez proved ample support for Fister and two relievers. Only five Yankees reached base.

The Sox have won four of five games and again hold a 5½-game lead in the American League East.

The teams have two games left in the series and the Sox have their top two starters, Drew Pomeranz and Chris Sale, lined up.

The Yankees have lost four of five.

The game marked the return of second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who was activated off the disabled list after missing 29 of the last 30 games with inflammation in his left knee.

The plan is to bring Pedroia back in stages. He left the game after batting in the eighth inning.

“They were only going to play me six [innings], but I snuck some extra in there,’’ Pedroia said. “It was great to be back out there.’’

Pedroia was 1 for 4 and struck out three times. But he did make two impressive plays in the field to record outs, one on a deflection off first baseman Mitch Moreland.

“We’ve got one of our main leaders back on the field,’’ Farrell said before Friday’s game. “You can make the argument he’s one of the better [defensive] second basemen in the history of the game.

“So to strengthen the defense up the middle of the diamond is a positive. But just who Pedey is and what he means to our organization, getting him back on the field is a good thing.’’

Farrell said Pedroia will not play Saturday.

The Yankees took a 1-0 lead in a span of 11 pitches in the first inning as Brett Gardner and Aaron Judge doubled. For Judge, it was his first RBI against the Red Sox since April 26 when he hit a two-run homer at Fenway.

Fister retired the next three batters on groundouts to leave Judge stranded.

The Yankees did not advance another runner beyond first base against Fister. In all, he retired 21 of the final 24 batters he faced.

Fister has a 3.05 earned run average in his last six starts. Friday was his first appearance at Yankee Stadium since 2011. He looked right at home.

Fister allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out five. He recorded 11 outs on the ground. He continues to build a case to be part of a playoff roster.

The Sox took a 2-1 lead in the second inning off Yankees starter Sonny Gray. Brock Holt, who started in left field, drew a walk before Nunez lined a sinker over the fence in left field.

Nunez has eight home runs and 24 RBIs in 31 games with the Sox.

Benintendi had a solo home run in the fifth inning and Ramirez one in the seventh.

Benintendi is 11 of 28 at Yankee Stadium this season with five home runs and 12 RBIs. Ramirez has three home runs in five games since being dropped to the seventh spot in the batting order.

Gray allowed four runs on five hits over seven innings. He struck out nine with one walk.

Addison Reed followed Fister and pitched a perfect eighth and Craig Kimbrel came on for his 32nd save of the season.

Peter Abraham can be reached at pabraham@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeteAbe.