NEW YORK — Coco Crisp boiled over in the eighth inning and was tossed by plate umpire Bruce Froemming after being called out on strikes in a pivotal at-bat in the Red Sox’ 3-1 loss at Yankee Stadium.

The pitch in question was a 97-mph, two-seam fastball by Kyle Farnsworth that caught the corner (said Froemming) for an inning-ending whiff with two on. Crisp fired down his helmet and bat and was ejected.

“I would have been frustrated, too,” said manager Terry Francona. “Did you see the pitch? It was 97 with movement, way off the plate.”

Earlier in the at-bat, Crisp had taken fastballs of 97 and 99 that Froemming also considered to be on the outside corner.

“He (Farnsworth) was making pitches to where he wanted to make them and I thought they were going farther out on the plate,” said Crisp. “I told him I thought it was outside, but what got me tossed was the throwing of the equipment.”

Ironically, Crisp and Froemming met up the previous night, when Crisp was on first base, where Froemming was umpiring.

The Yanks threw over to keep him close, and Crisp dived back into the bag, called safe. He brushed off the bag, and some of the dirt flew in Froemming’s direction, hitting the umpire.

“I told him I was sorry. I didn’t mean to do that,” said Crisp. “After the next pitch I turned to him and I said, ‘Did I mention I was sorry?’ ”

Crisp, though, did not think that had anything to do at all with the balls and strikes calls in his eighth-inning at-bat.

Torre on the hot seat

Well, for one day, the New York media can knock off the talk that manage Joe Torre is going to be fired.

Before the game, though, it was buzzing full throttle. There was talk that if Boston swept the series, the Yankees’ manager might be canned.

Torre is in the final year of his contract. Owner George Steinbrenner, who, according to reports, would have fired Torre after the Yanks’ Division Series wipeout to Detroit last year had it not been for general manager Brian Cashman’s intervention, can’t be happy with the seven-game losing streak.

Torre, as is his custom, answered any and every question about his seemingly shaky job status with class and thoughtfulness during his daily media conference.

"Hey, I’ve got a job to do. I certainly don’t go out there to manage just to try to keep my job. I manage to try to win ballgames. I’ve been doing that for 20 years," said Torre.

"I’m not comfortable with the fact we’re losing. But I can’t concern myself with what might happen. I have to concern myself with what goes on on the field.

" I talked to George about three or four days ago. He wasn’t happy. He’s got every right not to be happy. We’re not happy, either. We have to find a way to win."

All in due time

Francona said he had gotten sterling reports about Jon Lester’s rehabilitation start in Pawtucket on Friday night.

He said the left-hander, whose 2006 season was cut short by anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, pitched consistently at 91 mph with great command.

The plan calls for Lester to pitch again for the PawSox on Wednesday, at home against Indianapolis. But Francona downplayed the media’s suggestion that Lester might jump from there to Boston’s rotation for the start after that.

"That might be getting a little ahead (of things), jumping the gun a little bit," said Francona.

It seems more likely, from what Francona was inferring, that once Lester’s rehab stint ends on May 4, he might be optioned to Pawtucket to continue getting stronger.

Around the bases

Mike Lowell extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a fourth-inning double. … Derek Jeter extended his hitting streak to 16 games. He has had a hit in 55 of his last 57 games, dating back to Aug. 20, 2006. He also swiped his 251st base, tying him with Willie Randolph for second on the Yanks’ all-time list. Rickey Henderson is first, with 326. … Johnny Damon was in the Yankees’ starting lineup, but he is by no means close to 100 percent. In fact, his back has been bothering him so much that New York used him as its designated hitter yesterday so he’d be able to get treatment between at-bats. He went 1-for-4.

skrasner@projo.com