NEW YORK — Saturday’s drama between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox could extend into the final game of the season between the two rivals, thanks to some pregame comments from Red Sox manager Alex Cora.

The game itself, however, remained quiet: the Yankees won 5-2 and took three of four games from the Red Sox.

Before the game, Cora insinuated that starting pitcher Brayan Bello intentionally threw to Yankees superstar Aaron Judge in the sixth inning on Saturday to get revenge for Gerrit Cole hitting Rafael Devers in the first inning. Cora was asked if he thought Devers’ intentional walk and Saturday’s hit-by-pitch incident were over.

“Yesterday it was over in about the sixth inning,” Cora said. “We had our chance. It didn’t happen and we have to move on.”

With the score tied 0-0, Bello threw a 97.4 mph sinker behind Judge’s back, then threw a 97.2 mph four-seam fastball deep inside and off the plate.

“That’s baseball. He missed,” Judge said after Sunday’s game when asked about Cora’s comments. “There’s nothing I can do about it except take it and go to first base. It is what it is.”

Cora said he spoke to Judge after Saturday’s game and described it as a “professional” conversation, but neither he nor Judge would reveal what was discussed.

“It was a good conversation, let’s leave it at that,” Judge said.

The MLB is investigating the case, a league source confirmed on Monday.

On Sunday, Judge’s two-run home run in the third inning gave the Yankees a 4-0 lead. On the way to first base, the Yankees batter carried his bat almost the entire way down the first-base line.

“It’s a big home run. We’re playing against the Red Sox. It’s a big rival, a big game, a big moment. I’m just having fun,” he said.

The home run helped destroy the momentum the Red Sox had hoped to gain from Saturday’s win.

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Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Sunday he believed Cora took advantage of the moment to inject new momentum into a team outside the postseason.

“I think it’s a manager using this moment to motivate his troops a little bit as they fight for their playoff spot,” Boone said. “They’re playing for a lot there. And I think it’s an opportunity to motivate them a little bit. Probably a little bit of tactics. So that’s part of it.”

Before Sunday’s loss, Cora had hoped that Saturday’s drama would serve as a springboard for his club. But Boston now sits 4 1/2 games back of the American League’s third wild-card spot, while New York is three games ahead of first place in the AL East.

“I talked to a veteran today. If that (making the playoffs) happens, we’ll look back on (Saturday) and, to be honest, probably thank Gerrit Cole for getting us up and running,” Cora said. “And hopefully it happens. Hopefully we can compete against them in the playoffs, because he’s going to have to pitch. But we’ve got a long way to go. I’m not promising we’ll make the playoffs, but if we do, everyone will look back on Saturday and hope it works out.”

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(Photo: Ed Zurga/Getty Images)