David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth that barely cleared the low wall in right field to give the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Wednesday.
Ortiz homered twice and drove in all five runs as the Red Sox held their five-game lead over New York in the American League East. The Yankees open a three-game series at Fenway Park tonight.
Julio Lugo drew a leadoff walk from Al Reyes (2-3) and one out later, Ortiz hit his 10th game-winning homer with Boston, and his first this year.
PHOTO: AP
Jonathan Papelbon (1-2) got the win.
A night after the Devil Rays wasted an 8-1 lead and lost 16-10, they blew a 4-0 lead.
Yankees 4, Blue Jays 1
At Toronto, Mike Mussina pitched shutout ball into the sixth inning in his return to the rotation as New York won their seventh-straight game.
The Yankees held their four-game lead over Detroit in the AL wild-card race. They trail Boston by five games in the AL East.
Mussina (9-10) was dropped from the rotation late last month after allowing 19 earned runs over nine-and-two-third innings in three straight losses. He made his first start since Aug. 27 and gave up five singles in five-and-two-third innings.
In other games, it was: Angels 18, Orioles 6; Tigers 5, Rangers 1; White Sox 7, Indians 4; Royals 6, Twins 3; Mariners 6, Athletics 5.
Chad Billingsley, filling in for the injured Derek Lowe, limited San Diego to one run over six innings as Los Angeles beat the Padres 6-1 on Wednesday.
Rookie James Loney homered for the fifth time in his last six games for the Dodgers, who won for just the third time in their last 11 games against the Padres and moved within two-and-a-half games of San Diego in the NL wild-card race. Philadelphia and Colorado also trail the Padres by two-and-a-half games.
The second-place Padres dropped three-and-a-half games behind Arizona, which beat San Francisco 9-4, in the National League West.
Billingsley (11-4) allowed five hits with four walks and five strikeouts. The 23-year-old right-hander was was moved up a day after Lowe was scratched because of a bruised pitching hand.
Loney had three hits, including a two-run homer off rookie Justin Germano (7-10). Jeff Kent also homered for the Dodgers.
Diamondbacks 9, Giants 4
At San Francisco, Mark Reynolds and Chris Snyder hit back-to-back home runs to help Arizona's Brandon Webb earn his 16th victory.
The first-place Diamondbacks increased their lead to three-and-a-half games over San Diego in the NL West. The Giants were eliminated from playoff contention.
In other games, it was: Mets 4, Braves 3; Pirates 7, Brewers 4; Cubs 3, Astros 2; Rockies 12, Phillies 0; Marlins 5, Nationals 4, 12 innings; Reds 5, Cardinals 1.
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