It was 28 years ago that the Yankees came to Fenway in September with a four-game deficit and left tied for the division lead — a series remembered in baseball as the “Boston Massacre.” New York, which had trailed by as many as 14 games, won the AL East in a one-game playoff settled when Bucky Dent’s popup settled into the net above the Green Monster.

The Red Sox hadn’t been swept in a five-game series since the Cleveland Indians did it in 1954. The Yankees swept Boston in five games in New York in 1951 and at Fenway in ’43.

“It’s been an emotional weekend,” Red Sox second baseman Mark Loretta said. “It’s been physically challenging and emotionally challenging for both sides. It’s a little easier to take if you’re winning.”

Both teams left for the West Coast, with the Red Sox knowing that their best chance to make the playoffs is the wild card. They finished the day four games behind the Chicago White Sox and 3½ in back of the Minnesota Twins.

“We came into this series thinking we could make up ground (because) we were playing the team right in front of us,” Francona said.

“We certainly didn’t put ourselves in a very good position. If we allow it to devastate us, then we weren’t good enough in the first place,” he said.

Lidle allowed three hits and five walks to go with five strikeouts. Octavio Dotel, Mike Myers and Proctor carried the shutout into the eighth.

Wells gave up two runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four before Green doubled and moved to third on Cabrera’s sacrifice bunt. Green scored to make it 2-0 when Keith Foulke’s third pitch was wild.

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Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez left the game in the fifth inning with a cramp in his right hamstring. He had been the most productive player in the Red Sox lineup during the series, going 8-for-11 with two homers, seven RBIs and nine walks.

He walked twice on Monday and left after being forced at second on Eric Hinske’s fielder’s choice in the fourth.

Notes: According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last five-game sweep in the majors was Boston over Toronto at Fenway Park in 2002. ... Red Sox SS Alex Gonzalez, who missed the previous two games with back spasms, was originally in the starting lineup but was scratched. ... Jeter’s fourth-inning single was the 1,531st of his career, tying him with Bernie Williams and Lou Gehrig atop the Yankees’ all-time list. Williams reached the milestone on Friday. ... Boston 1B Kevin Youkilis was not in the starting lineup a day after jamming his ankle and getting spiked in the hand. ... Kyle Snyder will start for Boston on Tuesday. ... Red Sox leadoff man Coco Crisp was 1-for-19 in the series. ... Torre said the groin tightness that caused starter Mike Mussina to leave Sunday night’s game early was probably “just a cramp.”

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