NEW YORK — In a 7-0 victory, the seventh run of the game might seem meaningless.

Not for Jason Varitek and the Red Sox. Not last night.

Boston held a six-run lead when the Boston catcher snapped an 0-for-19 skid with an RBI single in the eighth inning.

“There were 25 guys, me, the coaches, the trainers jumping around,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “The players were pulling for him. He means so much to what we do. It was actually a pretty good at-bat. He fouled some pitches off, and I know what the score was, but I hope it does [continue].”

It wasn’t just the fact that the captain snapped his slump, it was his first two at-bats of the game that proved crucial.

“I felt fine,” he said. “I did some little things. I ended up with a walk, moved a runner over, so it was good.”

Hitting in the No. 8 spot in the order, Varitek drew a walk in his first plate appearance in the second inning. In the fourth inning, Coco Crisp collected his second hit of the game and then swiped second base. Varitek fought off a couple of pitches before hitting a chopper down the first-base line to move the runner to third.

Varitek popped out in the sixth before connecting for an RBI-single in the eighth to put the game well out of the reach of the Yankees.

“I felt good just to get the runner over and then [Julio] Lugo gets him in,” said Varitek. “It’s just the little things. Whether I got a hit there or not (in the eighth), I had a good at-bat, so that’s a good start.”

Yankee skipper rips team

It may have been only the first game of the four-game series last night, but the Yankees’ 7-0 loss didn’t sit well with first-year manager Joe Girardi.

Girardi kept the clubhouse closed to reporters for about 30 minutes last night, and aired the team out for its dispirited play.

“It’s embarrassing, for a team like this,” said Girardi. “We’re getting shut out almost every other day.”

In truth, the Yanks have only been shut out five times all season and only twice, including last night, since May 7.

But the Yanks have sputtered offensively of late. Twice in the previous four games before last night, they were limited to a single run.

“Once we went down tonight,” said Girardi, “it’s like there was nothing there. They handed it to us tonight and made it look easy. It was embarrassing.”

Two days ago, Yankee chairman Hank Steinbrenner had ripped the team’s underperforming offense and threatened benching and demotions if the lineup didn’t start producing more.

Timlin reinstated

After a brief three-game rehab stint with the PawSox, reliever Mike Timlin was activated from the disabled list yesterday by the Red Sox.

The veteran right-hander had been dealing with a bout of tendinitis in his left knee, but he said yesterday afternoon that he was fine and ready to pitch. During his three appearances (four games) with Pawtucket, his Boston teammates struggled a bit, and Timlin said it was tough to watch.

“It’s always [difficult] when you’re not able to get on the field and help,” Timlin said. “That’s just part of it, the competitiveness. … I’m very excited to be here. I’m just happy to be back with my team. I feel fine.”

The knee with the tendinitis isn’t something that will need surgery, according to Timlin.

Timlin worked in three games for the PawSox and retired all nine batters he faced. He was scheduled to make a fourth appearance Wednesday at McCoy Stadium, but management felt it best to hold off because Timlin will probably be needed in the Bronx. Instead, Timlin threw a bullpen session Wednesday.

“We’re coming into New York and he’s pitched here a lot of times; he’s throwing the ball well and maybe his two innings will be here,” Francona said yesterday. “The reports were as good as the numbers.”

To make room on the roster, reliever Chris Smith was optioned to Pawtucket.

While Timlin was on the shelf, his teammates in the Red Sox bullpen struggled. Entering last night’s game, the club’s relievers had allowed 29 runs in 32 innings during a five-game skid. Now that the pen’s veteran leader is back, Timlin knows things will turn around.

“They’ll be just fine,” he said.

Crisp back on field

Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp was back in the lineup last night after serving his five-game suspension for his part in the brawl with Tampa last month. During his league-mandated hiatus, Crisp said he was bored and just lounged around the hotel room, watching movies and playing video games. He was able to take BP so he wouldn’t lose his timing.

“Sitting in the bed all day long, your legs feel terrible,” he said. “You get up and feel like an 80-year-old guy.”

Francona says he’s been looking forward to Crisp’s return.

“Hopefully he’ll make an impact and that will be even better,” Francona said. “You kind of feel it. All of a sudden you look up and you don’t have as many players as you’re used to. You do feel like you’re playing shorthanded.”

Bronx good to Manny

Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez grew up just a hit-and-run away from Yankee Stadium. The Bronx native loves playing against the Yankees, and his numbers prove that point.

Entering last night’s game, Ramirez was hitting .473 with 14 homers and 38 RBI in 33 games against New York since the 2006 season. However, he entered last night’s game hitless in his last 11 at-bats and was 5-for-34 in the last nine games.

“Right now the fastball is beating him a little bit,” Francona said. “Once that starts happening — and that happens to a lot of hitters — you start to cheat a little bit. … It happens. I’ve seen this place get him healthy before, and I hope that happens now. Being right smack in the middle of that order when he’s doing some damage, everybody [in the order] is different.”

Ramirez snapped his 0-for-12 slump with a single in the fifth inning.

Buchholz staying put, for now

There was some thought that rookie pitcher Clay Buchholz would be called up from Pawtucket to start for the Red Sox tomorrow at New York. The right-hander has been outstanding for the PawSox, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.63 ERA in 38 2/3 innings of work.

Francona denied the rumor and stated that rookie Justin Masterson will make his scheduled start tomorrow.

“We really didn’t [plan to pitch him],” said Francona when asked whether there was any discussion about the Buchholz possibility. “I don’t want to say that at some point Clay’s not going to be back here, because that might not be true. We think Clay is obviously, hopefully, a star in the making. We wanted to get Clay ironed out and sometimes looking at the big picture is more important than looking at the small picture. It’s not easy to do that, but Clay is on his way to doing exactly what he needs to do.”

Buchholz no doubt will be in Boston sooner rather than later. He could be back in the rotation soon after the All-Star break in order to give another Red Sox starter a rest.

smcadam@projo.com