George Steinbrenner emerged from behind the tinted windows of his car at 6:30 last night with a smile on his face and a spring in his step. The Boss was in a fine mood, fresh off taking two of three games in the weekend series against the Red Sox, the Yankees’ most hated enemies.

“It was a good weekend,” Steinbrenner said.

But following last night’s 6-3 loss in which his club was six-hit, however, Steinbrenner was in no mood to chat.

“I’ve got nothing to say,” The Boss said, leaving the Stadium at exactly the same time (though from a separate exit), as GM Brian Cashman, with whom he may have met with following the loss. “We forgot our bats today.”

The Boss was in such a swell state beforehand, even news that Kenny Lofton was starting in right field was met with cheer, rather than jeers. Last month, after Lofton struggled in his first career start in right, the Boss broiled Joe Torre for moving the natural center fielder.

The owner had said he never wanted to see Lofton in right again and that the routine plays he botched out there on August 8 would have easily been fielded by MVP-candidate Gary Sheffield, out of the lineup after having cortisone shots in his left shoulder.

“Is he?” The Boss, eyebrows raised, said when informed of Lofton’s place on last night’s lineup card before the game.

Yes. Does that enrage you, Mr. Steinbrenner? “No, no. Not at all,” he said.

Why not? “Because Joe wants him there,” Steinbrenner reasoned. “[T]hat’s good enough for me.”

The Boss’ free pass was just the beginning of a very fortunate night for Lofton (0-for-1 with a run), who was erroneously credited with a 9-3 double-play in the fifth when he apparently made a diving catch on Eric Hinske’s liner and threw out Alex Rios at first – although video replay showed Rios got back in time.