BOSTON – For the most part, pitch counts have done a better job of slowing down Michael King’s audition as a starter than opposing lineups.

But the Yankees right-hander continues to make a case for cracking the rotation full-time next season.

Making his fifth straight start on Thursday afternoon, King was solid once again, giving up one run across 4 ⅔ innings, though he got no support as the Yankees fell to the Red Sox 5-0 in the first game of a split doubleheader at Fenway Park.

King struck out eight and gave up one walk and six hits while building his pitch count up to a career-high 87.

Over his past five starts – the last four of them coming on a regular starter’s rest – King has given up just three earned runs across 21 ⅓ innings (1.27 ERA) with 29 strikeouts and four walks.

After spending most of the season as a high-leverage weapon out of the bullpen and often providing multiple innings, King (a former starter) moved into the rotation in August as the Yankees dealt with injuries.

But he also hoped to use it as a runway to prove he could be a starting option for the club next season, depending on what moves it makes this offseason.

“Probably technically to be determined, but I think we all believe he could be a starter,” manager Aaron Boone said before the game. “I think he’s probably, in a lot of ways, confirming that in what we’re seeing as he continues to build up here these last few weeks. I think Michael’s in a really good spot in that he’s proven himself at this level out of the bullpen, but I think he’s also showing us now that I definitely believe he could be a successful starter. 

“We’ll see where the next few weeks take us. We’ll see where the winter takes us and how we look going into next season. But right now, he’s putting himself in that starter mix.”

King lines up to have three starts left this season, which will likely allow him to hit the 100-inning threshold.

The Red Sox only got to King in the first inning with a trio of singles – two of them hit weakly, but well-placed to make it a 1-0 game.

Greg Weissert relieved King and gave up a Pesky Pole home run to rookie Ceddanne Rafaela in the seventh inning to double the deficit.

Matt Bowman later allowed a three-run shot to Trevor Story in the eighth to blow open the game.

Entering the nightcap, the Red Sox (74-72) inched back ahead of the Yankees (73-73) for sole possession of fourth place in the AL East.