NEW YORK -- Matt Holliday and Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell shrugged off their connection to each other from three decades ago as being a "part of life."

Their present lives merged Saturday when Holliday hit the tiebreaking three-run homer with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth inning as the New York Yankees beat the Red Sox 5-1.

Holliday's father was the pitching coach at Oklahoma State when Farrell pitched there from 1981-1984. He was 4 years old when Farrell finished college and, 33 years later, their paths crossed again with two on in a 1-1 game during the penultimate meeting in the season series.

"That's part of life I guess," Farrell said.

Said Holliday: "I've known him a long time."

After popping out and flying out in his first two at-bats since Aug. 4, Holliday followed a walk by Didi Gregorius and a single by Chase Headley by driving a first-pitch fastball from Drew Pomeranz (14-5) 443 feet into the left field seats.

It was Holliday's 17th homer but first since his game-tying shot off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel on July 15 at Fenway Park in New York's 16-inning victory. It also was his 13th hit in 84 at-bats since the All-Star break, a slump that followed a productive .262 first half.

Playing for the first time after missing 25 games with a back injury and sitting out Friday night, Holliday's bat looked like the "impact bat" manager Joe Girardi said he heard about during a 10-game minor league rehab stint.

"We've missed that," Girardi said. "He was such a great run producer in the first half."

Holliday ended a stretch of 75 at-bats without a homer. He entered the game batting .171 with four homers and 13 RBIs in his previous 35 games since June 8, a time that was disrupted by missing 13 games with a viral infection and then the back injury.

"I'm just glad to be part of a team, back on the field," Holliday said. "I mean, these are big games. I want to be a part of this."

Holliday's homer helped Masahiro Tanaka (11-10) win his third straight start following a right shoulder injury. Tanaka allowed the only run on a wild pitch that scored Eduardo Nunez in the sixth and five hits.

He exited to a loud ovation from the sellout crowd after allowing the final hit to start the eighth.

Before Holliday homered, Chase Headley homered off Pomeranz in the second. Nunez, who heard some boos before his first at-bat, opened the sixth with a double and then slid headfirst into the plate on the wild pitch.

Tanaka then had some help from his defense before Holliday came through. Shortly before Holliday's big swing, shortstop Didi Gregorius made a tumbling catch on a liner by Mitch Moreland with the infield in and center fielder Aaron Hicks made a running catch near the warning track on Hanley Ramirez.

The combination of Holliday's power and Tanaka's effectiveness helped the Yankees get back to 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Red Sox in the American League East. New York has never trailed by more than 5 1/2 games this season.

An inning after Holliday homered, the Yankees took a 5-1 lead when Jacoby Ellsbury tripled and scored on an infield hit by Gary Sanchez.

Pomeranz allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, ending his career-high eight-game winning streak. He lost for the first time since lasting 4 1/3 innings on June 11 against the Detroit Tigers.

"I beat him in there a few times," Pomeranz said of Holliday's homer. I think it was a pretty good pitch but I think it was what he was looking for. He put the right swing on it."

NOTES: Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he did not hear from the league office about the appeals by Cs Gary Sanchez (four games) and Austin Romine (two games) for their suspensions for the Aug. 24 brawl in Detroit. The appeals were heard on Friday but no decision has been made yet. ... The Red Sox activated OF Jackie Bradley Jr. off the disabled list and he was 1-for-3. ... Girardi said 2B Starlin Castro was not in the lineup because he was at the dentist Saturday morning after losing a front tooth. ... Boston LHP David Price (left elbow inflammation) is slated for another bullpen session before Monday's game at Fenway Park. ... Yankees OF Aaron Hicks was lifted after the sixth inning due to a strained left oblique.