New York ? Derek Lowe’s latest road wreck wasn’t as ugly as the numbers indicate.

He did give up six earned runs for only the fifth time this year. He struck out only two of the 31 batters he faced. And the one cutter he threw turned into Nick Johnson’s two-run homer that put New York ahead for good.

Despite pitching for the fourth time in eight days, he kept Boston within striking distance. Unfortunately for the Red Sox, Andy Pettitte kept them at bay in the Yankees’ 6-2 win Thursday night that tied the AL championship series 1.

“I don’t necessarily look at it as a poorly pitched game,” Lowe said. “If I’m able to get one more out in the seventh inning, it’s 4-2. I know I didn’t.”

Instead, with two outs he left after allowing a single to Jason Giambi and a walk to Bernie Williams. Scott Sauerbeck relieved and allowed a two-run double to Jorge Posada that made it 6-2.

That sealed another road loss for Lowe.

During the regular season, his road record was 6-5 with a 6.11 ERA while allowing opponents to hit .332. At home, he was 11-2 with a 3.21 ERA with a batting average of .220 against him.

Is there a reason or is it just coincidence?

Boston's Manny Ramirez flips his helmet after striking out in the eighth inning. The Yankees beat the Red Sox, 6-2, Thursday in New York.

“He’s beyond that. He’s well beyond that,” catcher Jason Varitek said. “That was just some freaky thing at the beginning of the year. He kept us in the game.”

Lowe was 1-3 on the road in April and May but 5-2 after that. And he pitched Boston into the ALCS by striking out two batters for the save in Monday’s 4-3 win in Oakland that gave Boston the AL division series 3-2.

Lowe, who tied for the AL lead with 42 saves in 2000 but didn’t relieve this year until the playoffs, allowed the winning run in relief in the opener at Oakland. Then he pitched seven strong innings as a starter at Fenway Park in Boston’s 3-1 win in Game 3.

He said that work didn’t hamper his effectiveness.

“I’m not a guy to make excuses,” Lowe said. “I’m probably sorer now than I’ve been in a long time. But no, not at any point did the workload affect any pitches.”

A cardboard cutout of Babe Ruth sits among fans at Yankee Stadium during Game 2 of the AL championship series between Boston and New York. The Yankees won, 6-2, Thursday in New York.

He allowed seven hits and three walks and didn’t get much help from his hitters Thursday as the Red Sox left the bases loaded in the first and scored only once in the second when they had runners at first and second with no outs against Pettitte.

“We certainly had chances,” Boston general manager Theo Epstein said. “We didn’t capitalize the way we hoped to. Andy Pettitte can turn it on at a moment’s notice.”

Lowe retired five straight batters before getting into trouble in the seventh.

“They are extremely tough and they never give up,” Lowe said. “Giambi, I wish, could have easily hit a ground ball to somebody, but he didn’t. He battled and they beat us.”