IN A WEEK of hardball that included no fewer than four excruciating losses, Saturday’s and Sunday’s 9-8 losses to the Yankees were undoubtedly the toughest for Red Sox Nation, if only because of the foe involved and the manner of interment. Since last Sunday’s one-pitch Urbina debacle in Toronto and Monday’s Hillenbrand juggling exhibition in Detroit, the Sox showed some character by taking four straight games from Tuesday through Friday. The back-to-back weekend losses, though, were a real setback. I could make plenty of nominations for heroes and goats, and herewith are just some of them. Submitted for your approval.

Among the heroes (relatively speaking): Nomar Garciaparra, who apparently snapped out of his weeks-long slump to come up with some big hits over the weekend, none bigger than his two-run home run in the seventh on Sunday that gave the Sox their final lead of the game. Though Nomar is still only around .300 and leads the American League in errors at his position, Boston fans will always cut him some slack because of his dedication, fierce competitiveness, and inherent superstardom (despite his recent plight). And because he’s a stud.

Pedro Martinez, who showed he can still be a big-game pitcher when he wants to be. After Friday’s masterpiece, he's making us believe he will actually pitch into August without a visit to the disabled list. In the 4-2 victory that opened the weekend series, Pedro looked like the Pedro of old, minus a few digits in velocity, but making up for it in his assortment of dazzling pitches.

Manny Ramirez, who seems to have rediscovered his hitting stroke, had a couple of home runs on Sunday (albeit solo jobs), although he was a combined 0-for-6 in Friday and Saturday’s games. Still, he could hustle a bit more in the outfield, as he let a single fall in front of him early in Sunday’s game (which gave the Yanks their fifth run) when a little more speed could have allowed him to run down the ball. In addition, Manny way too often ends up on first base even when he hits two-bagger-caliber shots. But it was good to have him and his duende in the line-up for this series; when he’s healthy, the always-perplexing Ramirez is an imposing force in the line-up.

Shea Hillenbrand quietly had a pretty nice weekend in New York too, and his 5-for-12 performance and errorless play in the field backed up his selection as the All Star Game starter. Also, Tim Wakefield and Frank Castillo did admirable jobs relieving the beleaguered starters on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Sorry, that’s it for heroes, unfortunately. Next up: those wearing goat horns and chomping on tin cans on the ride back to Boston.

Everybody likes Johnny Damon, but a 1-for-10 performance from the leadoff spot on Friday and Saturday just ain’t going to cut it, and he’s now batting a lackluster .292 after spending the early part of the season in the mid .350s. His 0-for-6 line on Saturday, which did not even include as much as a walk, was indicative of the team’s lack of clutch hitting after the seventh inning of the 11-inning loss.

Rey Sanchez’s 1-for-12 offensive totals certainly didn’t help matters much, either, although the Sox didn’t sign him for his bat, anyway. Nonetheless, a hitter who has reached late July and is still batting .314 is expected to provide some occasional punch, particularly in big games, and Sanchez was significantly lacking in that area this past weekend.

Pitchers Rolando Arrojo and John Burkett surely must have known the importance of their starts on Saturday and Sunday, yet both turned in stinkers. Arrojo, in his second start after his rehab period, got shelled for five runs in just four innings, while Burkett, after claiming his ninth win of the year earlier in the week in Motown, got hammered for four runs in eight pitches before the first out in the first inning was made. Please. Also, Dustin Hermanson — yes, I know you’re just coming off the DL yourself, and this was your first big-league action since April, but is it too much to ask to get just three outs when your team just fought all the way back to take its first lead on Saturday? Nice job giving the lead back on an 0-2 pitch, too. No soup for you.

Back-up catcher Doug Mirabelli came up twice with the bases loaded on Saturday with the chance to be the conquering hero and drive in a go-ahead run, yet couldn’t even get it out of the infield. Can you explain to me how a big-leaguer stays in the majors batting .216? Defensive prowess, I guess. Still, $650,000 is a lot to pay for a second-string glove and no bat. I know, I’m way out of line here.

Finally, time for your bowl of goat’s-head soup, Mr. Jose Offerman, as again you lived down to your reputation, going 2-for-11 in the series, striking out three times (often in critical situations), and in the ultimate bonehead move, attempting to steal third with one out in the ninth inning of an 8-7 game Sunday and Trot Nixon (a borderline horn-wearer himself) at bat when your run could have provided a crucial insurance tally. Of course you didn’t speak with the media afterwards; you never do, you sniveling .237-batting coward. Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelt of elderberries! One can only hope that you have direct-deposit at your local banking institution, otherwise I would think it would be difficult to show up smirkless to cash your monthly paycheck of $562,500.

Say this about the Yankees, though: they sure can play. We’ve addressed their roster advantages before, but this weekend’s series showed us two things above all: number one, these two teams are almost even on paper, and it made for some truly electrifying competition. It was unbelievably exciting; the teams put on an exhibit for everyone to see all that is good about baseball. But, number two, the Yankees still do what it takes to win ballgames better than anybody else, and that certainly includes the Red Sox, who managed to squander numerous opportunities to sweep New York on the road and tie them for the division lead. Jeter, Giambi, Williams, Karsay, Soriano — all of them proved themselves to be the clutch players they are. They were calm, professional, and undeterred in their efforts to win each and every game of the series. That’s why New York is home to the champions of the American League for the last four years, and the Red Sox are the team that usually finds a way to lose, whether it’s by not backing up throws, overrunning an outfield roller, committing inopportune balks, giving up critical 0-2 hits, or walking in the winning run.

Yes, the loyalists in Red Sox land are downright perturbed after losing two of three to the hated pinstripers, but if there is a bright side to be found, it is this: three games played in the most hostile of environments; final tally on the scoreboard after three games of hand-to-hand combat: Red Sox 20 runs, Yankees 20 runs. Casualties? Red Sox lose a game in the standings from the time they entered town; the Yankees lose the game’s best closer with shoulder problems, while their number-two pitcher (Clemens) is still on the shelf, Andy Pettitte’s elbow is still dicey, and yesterday’s starter (Jeff Weaver) gave up five gopher balls at home in his third straight dismal outing.

The bigger obstacle for Boston right now is the fact that they are behind the red-hot Anaheim Angels for the wild-card spot, with the Oakland A’s lurking only a game behind the Sox. What will be needed for the Red Sox in the next month is to stay healthy and win the majority of their games because if they can survive August — when they will play Oakland (three times), Minnesota (six games), Seattle (three), Texas (seven), and the Angels (seven) before they meet up with the Bombers again for six games in an eight-game stretch later in the month — then they will still be in the thick of things come Labor Day. At that point, with Oakland, Seattle, and Anaheim all beating each other up in head-to-head battles throughout September, the Sox will contend with the likes of Toronto (four games), Tampa (seven), Baltimore (seven), Cleveland (four), and Chicago (three), with 14 of those 25 at Fenway. By that time, presumably, all of those upcoming foes will be non-factors in their respective division races (if they’re not already), and the pickin’s should be easy.

Of course, that cream-puff ledger is remarkably similar to the Sox’ schedule last September, and we all remember what happened then. But the way Boston continually fought back this past weekend — and even dating back to the games in Detroit and Tampa earlier last week — leads one to believe the Sox are in the pennant race to stay. And should they reach the playoffs, a League Championship Series against their old rivals from the Bronx would be in every baseball fan’s best interests.

Sporting Eye runs Mondays and Fridays at BostonPhoenix.com; Christopher Young can be reached at cyoung[a]phx.com