BOSTON — Trevor Story hit a three-run homer, Tanner Houck pitched six effective innings and Boston briefly climbed out of the AL East basement Thursday with a 5-0 victory against the New York Yankees in the opener of a doubleheader.

The Yankees then came back for an 8-5 win in the night game, powered by Aaron Judge’s grand slam in the second inning, to regain a tie with the Red Sox at the bottom of the AL East.

In the opener, rookie Ceddanne Rafaela added a solo shot and Wilyer Abreu had a first-inning RBI single for Boston.

Coming off a doubleheader sweep Tuesday that moved New York into a tie with Boston for last place, the Yankees were shut out for the ninth time this season.

Gleyber Torres had two doubles for the Yankees.

The game was a makeup of Wednesday night’s rainout.

Houck (5-9) allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked three. Garrett Whitlock retired all six batters he faced, and Chris Martin finished a six-hitter.

“I definitely thought he was going to take me out,” Houck said of Manager Alex Cora’s visit before he got out of a sixth-inning mess. “I wanted to be out there. I’ve been working day in and day out, trying to get better and trying to push myself to get through the sixth inning.”

New York right-hander Michael King (4-6) gave up a run and six hits in 42/3 innings. He struck out eight and walked one.

“It’s nice being back on that routine,” King said of being back in the starting rotation for his fifth start. “I think that’s the main part of my body recovery that I feel like I missed (coming) out of the bullpen.”

Story hit his homer to center field off Matt Bowman in the eighth. Rafaela hooked his second career homer around the Pesky Pole in the seventh against Greg Weissert, just past the leap of right fielder Oswaldo Peraza.

Houck escaped a first-and-third, one-out jam in the sixth with a little help from plate umpire Todd Tichenor.

“Today was a big day for Tanner,” Cora said. “He needed six innings.”

With the infield in during the sixth, Jake Bauers hit a slow roller to first baseman Triston Casas, who fired home. The ball bounced up and slightly past catcher Conner Wong but hit Tichenor. Wong grabbed it and got Torres out in a rundown. Houck then retired Peraza on a comebacker.

“We had a couple of chances there,” Yankees Manager Aaron Boone said. “I thought Houck threw the ball well, but we should have punched a couple through, no doubt about it.”

In the second game, Peraza hit a two-homer in the ninth to open a three-run cushion for New York.

Rafael Devers finished with three hits for the Red Sox, including a solo home run the second inning, his 31st of the season.

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