Rivalry?

What rivalry?

The Yankees lost to the Red Sox for the seventh straight time Friday night in The Bronx, this time 1-0, as they fell half a game behind Boston for the top wild-card spot in the American League.

“It’s been tough,” Ben Rice said. “They’ve had our number so far. We’ve got to focus on the next two games and try to split the series.”

The problem with that is the fact that Garrett Crochet is starting for Boston on Saturday — a day after the Yankees offense was overmatched again by Brayan Bello.

Mark Leiter Jr. reacts after giving up a run during the Yankees’ game against the Red Sox on Aug. 22. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

Austin Wells gets doubled off during the Yankees’ game against the Red Sox on Aug. 22. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Bello, who blanked the Yankees for seven innings in a June win at Fenway Park, was equally as dominant in The Bronx on Friday before Garrett Whitlock followed with a scoreless eighth and Aroldis Chapman closed it in the ninth.

In the process, Bello became the first pitcher in Red Sox history to toss at least seven scoreless innings while allowing no more than three hits in consecutive games against the Yankees, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

The Yankees’ getting shutout for the ninth time this season — after it happened just eight times all of last year — nullified Max Fried’s best start in nearly two months.

Ben Rice reacts after striking out during the Yankees’ Aug. 22 loss. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The left-hander, who’d put up a 6.80 ERA over his previous eight starts, rebounded with six scoreless innings before Mark Leiter Jr. allowed the game’s only run in the seventh.

Fried wasn’t dominant, but he pitched out of trouble when he had to.

And Bello was better.

Rice singled with one out in the first, which seemed like a promising sign for the offense.

Pitching coach Matt Blake talks with Mark Leiter Jr. during the Yankees’ game against the Red Sox on Aug. 22. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

They got just two more hits off Bello before he left after seven innings — having faced just two batters over the minimum.

They got a leadoff single from Austin Wells in the bottom of the sixth, but the catcher was doubled off first on Trent Grisham’s lineout to shortstop, as the Yankees’ baserunning woes continued.

Afterwards, Aaron Boone said that “can’t happen.”

Giancarlo Stanton strikes out during the eight inning of the Yankees’ Aug. 22 loss. Robert Sabo for the NY Post

Bello gave up just three singles and a walk — and got two double plays — before leaving after 92 pitches.

Leiter took over for Fried to start the seventh and gave up a one-out, pinch-hit double to Nathaniel Lowe.

Connor Wong followed with a double to left to drive in Lowe and that proved to be enough to beat the Yankees, as they couldn’t score against Whitlock in the eighth or Chapman in the ninth.

Ben Rice singles during the Yankees’ Aug. 22 game against the Red Sox. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The Yankees didn’t help themselves with more sloppiness, from Wells on the basepaths, to Anthony Volpe and Jasson Domínguez throwing to the wrong bases in the ninth.

If the Yankees have any shot of playing into October, they’ll need the version of Fried they got Friday, when he once again looked like an ace, as he did for most of the first half of the season.

His toughest battle was with a squirrel in the top of the fifth.

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The squirrel’s presence on the field delayed the game for about a minute, which was followed by Fried firing his next pitch to the backstop.

But the left-hander retired the next two batters to get out of the inning.

On a night the Yankees failed to even get a runner into scoring position, Fried’s performance was overshadowed.

And if the Yankees don’t figure out a way to turn the tables on Boston, their season won’t end well.

“I don’t like losing to them,” Boone said. “I don’t like losing to anyone. They’ve had our number here for a stretch.”