Was it the slump? Or Buchholz?

At a low point like this for Yankees Universe, we offer a public-service announcement:

Avoid sweeping generalizations to diagnose what's wrong with your team. It's too early. The sample size is too small.

The Yankees (20-16) tied a season high with their third straight loss, 5-4, to the rival Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on Friday night, and they now trail the Rays (23-15) by two games, one in the loss column, in the American League East.

You couldn't quite tell how much blame the Yankees' ailing bats should take, as opposed to how much credit you should give dominant Boston starter Clay Buchholz. You couldn't get too worked up about focus or energy or any of that stuff, not when the Yankees kept fighting until the 27th out.

All you knew for sure was that the Yankees need to straighten out their season.

"We're putting ourselves in good situations," said Jorge Posada, who stranded teammates at second and third in the eighth by grounding out to second against reliever Daniel Bard. "We're not coming up with that big hit. We know what we can do. That's not us. We know we can come up with a big hit. We look forward to tomorrow."

Or, as Alex Rodriguez put it, "There's no question we need to do better."

The Yankees spoiled another stellar outing by revived veteran Bartolo Colon, who allowed three runs (two earned) in six-plus innings. They didn't get a hit until A-Rod's single with one out in the fourth, and they went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

It continued a short-running trend; the Yankees have scored 15 runs in the first four games of their homestand. That's a relative drought for them.

The difference Friday night came in the opponent. Buchholz is an All-Star with a no-hitter to his name. At some point, you have to tip your cap to him.

"I thought Buchholz's movement on his fastball was as good as I've ever seen it tonight," said Joe Girardi, who sounded particularly frustrated after the game. "He had as much sink as I've seen him have. It's tough to elevate the ball, tough to put good swings on it . . . His fastball was electric tonight."

Both Bard and Jonathan Papelbon struggled; each man allowed a run in the eighth and ninth, respectively. Yet both pitchers still possess the capacity to overpower good hitters, even on bad nights, and both completed their innings with Boston's lead intact.

The Red Sox (18-20), the favorites to win the AL East, have endured a far more trying season than the Yankees, who have seen low-risk fliers such as Colon and Russell Martin (who homered off Buchholz in the fifth) thrive.

Yet Boston manager Terry Francona scoffed before the game at a question concerning the hole his club had dug for itself. Plenty of season remains, Francona reminded reporters.

The Yankees have pitched over their heads in this young season; their starting pitchers have a 3.07 ERA in their last 24 games. Recently, however, they have underperformed on offense. And when Joba Chamberlain checked in with a rare off night, giving up two runs in the seventh that tipped the scales in the Red Sox's favor.

Something's gotta give for these Yankees. With the Red Sox here Saturday and Sunday, followed by a two-game visit to the Rays at Tropicana Field, the Yankees have to find a way to win some ballgames.

"We're getting guys on base," Posada said. "It's a matter of really trusting each other and picking each other up."

How that actually occurs, no one quite knows. But if the Yankees still want to be the surprising upstart, rather than the disappointing favorite, they have to solve that mystery.