With apologies to the televised talent show from Hollywood, there was only one hotly contested competition last night that meant anything to much of New England.

What transpired at Fenway Park, however, left most observers as critical and cranky as "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell with an upset stomach.

One night after pounding the New York Yankees, the Red Sox turned in a shaky performance in a 7-5 loss that was as discordant and out-of-tune as a William Hung serenade. Tim Wakefield was tagged for seven runs in 6 2/3 innings to lose his second consecutive start, while Sox batters went a woeful 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 13 runners on base, allowing New York to narrow the Sox' advantage in the season series to 4-2.

"We had some opportunities but their pitchers knuckled down when they had to," said Sox third baseman Mike Lowell (1-for-4).

Wakefield (3-6) lost for the first time in four starts in his previous outing last week in Baltimore, where Kevin Millar erased his 1-0 lead with a two-run home run. Another former teammate followed suit opening last night's game, when Johnny Damon lined a thigh-high knuckleball just inside the Pesky Pole for his 17th career leadoff homer, including his first for the Yankees.

New York made it 3-0 in the third inning on Derek Jeter's two-run single and then added an unearned run in the sixth following an uncharacteristic three passed balls by catcher Doug Mirabelli, who wasn't charged with any in his first four starts since being reunited with Wakefield. "It's a double-edged sword," Mirabelli said of the knuckleball. "When he throws those really, really good knuckleballs like he was throwing that inning, they can't hit it, but I have problems catching it, too. It's just unfortunate that it cost us a run at that point."

New York starter Jaret Wright blanked the Sox for five innings, allowing only four hits and two walks, while striking out three. The right-hander, who entered the game with a 7.30 ERA in nine previous starts vs. the Sox, was smoked in the side by Kevin Youkilis' leadoff liner back to the mound in the first, but he caught the ball, shook off the sting and held the Sox hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position.

The Sox finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth inning against reliever Scott Proctor on singles by Trot Nixon, Alex Cora and Mirabelli (RBI), but pinch-hitter J.T. Snow ended the threat by bouncing into an inning-ending double play. Any potential shift in momentum came to an end moments later, when Alex Rodriguez followed a pair of two-out walks by Wakefield in the seventh by smashing a three-run homer over the Green Monster for his 11th of the season and second in as many nights.

"I'm disappointed in my outing," said Wakefield, who has received only four runs of support while on the mound in his six losses. "I feel like I let my team down."

Manny Ramirez responded to A-Rod's clout with a three-run homer off Proctor in the bottom of the seventh, narrowing it to 7-4. He then cut New York's lead to 7-5 in the eighth with an RBI single off Mariano Rivera, who came on after reliever Kyle Farnsworth had issued a pair of walks.

"The nice thing is we were down 7-1, and we came back and brought the tying run to the plate a couple of times and put a scare into them," Mark Loretta said. "It just wasn't our night."