Ortiz’s Error Hurts Red Sox

NEW YORK —  Eighteen years later, a grounder to first base did in the Boston Red Sox again.

This New York setting was far less dramatic than when Bill Buckner made his infamous error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, but the play was eerily similar.

David Ortiz made a key error that allowed New York to tie the score in the seventh inning, and Gary Sheffield’s run-scoring double in the eighth sent the Yankees to a 4-2 victory Wednesday night.

The Yankees have won the first two matchups of the three-game series to open a season-high 7 1/2-game lead over Boston in the East Division. They’ll go for a sweep tonight against Pedro Martinez.

Making his first appearance at Yankee Stadium since giving up Aaron Boone’s pennant-winning homer in Game 7 of the league championship series last season, Tim Wakefield shut down the Yankees on three hits for 6 1/3 innings.

After a walk and a hit batsman, he left with a 2-0 lead -- but the worst defense in the major leagues let him down.

Scott Williamson replaced Wakefield with runners at the corners, then departed with the bases loaded and two out because of an undisclosed injury.

Mike Timlin (4-3) got as long as he needed to warm up, drawing boos from the sellout crowd of 55,023. They didn’t last.

Tony Clark hit a sharp grounder right at Ortiz, the designated hitter in Boston’s original lineup but switched to first base before the first pitch. Thinking the inning was over when the ball was hit, Wakefield began to applaud in the dugout.

Then the ball squirted through him into shallow right field for an error that allowed two runs to score, and the 37-year-old knuckleballer just stared straight ahead.

Ortiz immediately headed toward the dugout for a new glove. It looked as if part of his other one had broken.

Eighteen years earlier across town at Shea Stadium, it was Buckner who allowed Mookie Wilson’s 10th-inning grounder to go through his legs, giving the Mets a 6-5 victory. Two nights later, New York won the World Series.