Manny Ramirez returned to the Boston lineup and went 1-for-2 with a walk as the Red Sox cut their magic number to clinch the American League East title to four with a 7-3 victory over Oakland on Tuesday.
Boston also benefited from New York's 7-6, 10-inning loss to Tampa Bay.
After being sidelined for 24 games by a strained muscle in his left side, Ramirez singled and scored Boston's first run in the first inning, then walked to start a two-run fifth.
PHOTO: AP
Curt Schilling also had plenty of rest and it paid off with his first win since Aug. 24.
Pitching for the first time in nine days so manager Terry Francona could arrange his rotation for the playoffs, Schilling (9-8) allowed one run and six hits and left after six innings with a 3-1 lead.
The Red Sox, who had lost six of nine, entered the game with a two-game lead in the division over New York. With five games left, the Red Sox had already clinched a wild-card berth.
The only run Schilling allowed was Daric Barton's third homer of the season in the first.
Devil Rays 7, Yankees 6, 10 innings
At St. Petersburg, Florida, Jorge Velandia hit a grand slam for his first career homer and Dioner Navarro added a solo shot in the 10th inning as Tampa Bay prevented New York from clinching a playoff berth.
Coupled with Boston's victory over Oakland, New York fell three games behind the first-place Red Sox in the AL East with five games to play. The Yankees lead Detroit by four-and-a-half games in the wild-card race, and their magic number to clinch a playoff berth for the 13th consecutive year remained at one.
Tigers 8, Twins 0
At Detroit, Magglio Ordonez homered and doubled and Yorman Bazardo threw seven innings for Detroit, which barely stayed alive in the playoff race.
To stay in contention, the defending AL champions needed to win the rest of their games this week and have New York lose all of its to force a one-game playoff for the AL wild card. The Yankees lost 7-6 in 10 innings at Tampa Bay.
In other games, it was: Rangers 3, Angels 1; Indians 4, Mariners 3, 12 innings; Royals 9, White Sox 5.
Prince Fielder became the youngest major leaguer to hit 50 home runs, connecting twice in Milwaukee's 9-1 victory over St. Louis on Tuesday.
The win pulled the Brewers within two games of the National League leading Chicago, which lost 4-2 at Florida. With five games remaining for each team, the Cubs' magic number remained at four.
The 23-year-old Fielder joined his father Cecil as the only father-son tandem to hit 50 home runs in a season. The elder Fielder hit 51 with Detroit in 1990.
It was the eighth multihomer game of the younger Fielder's career, and the fifth this season.
Rickie Weeks led off the Brewers' half of the first with a homer and Fielder added a two-run shot before Milwaukee broke the game open with a three-run homer by Bill Hall in the fifth that made it 7-1.
Fielder hit his 50th off Kip Wells in the seventh, a two-run homer that put Milwaukee ahead 9-1.
Jeff Suppan (11-12) worked eight innings to beat his former team for the third time this year.
Marlins 4, Cubs 2
At Miami, Dontrelle Willis held Chicago to hits over eight innings
The Cubs saw their lead over Milwaukee in the NL Central cut to two games. Chicago's magic number for clinching the division remained at four.
The Cubs had won 10 of their past 12 games and four in a row.
Consecutive bloopers by the last-place Marlins fell for hits in short right-center during their four-run second inning against Ted Lilly (15-8).
Willis (10-15) struck out seven and won for only the third time in 15 decisions since May 29.
Willis took a one-hit shutout into the eighth, then walked Geovany Soto and gave up Craig Monroe's first homer to make it 4-2.
Nationals 10, Mets 9
At New York, the Mets scored six runs in the bottom of the ninth but came up one short against Washington and lost its fifth straight home game.
The Mets' magic number for clinching its second consecutive NL East title was cut to four when second-place Philadelphia lost to Atlanta.
New York trailed 10-3 in the ninth. Jose Reyes hit a three-run shot off Jesus Colome for his second homer of the game to cut the deficit to four. Moises Alou hit a three-run double off Chad Cordero for his fourth hit to make it 10-9.
Nationals manager Manny Acta made an unorthodox move of pulling his closer for setup man Jon Rauch. The big right-hander struck out Carlos Delgado and got Paul Lo Duca on a pop up to shallow right with the tying run at third.
Braves 10, Phillies 6
At Philadelphia, Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and Chipper Jones had a two-run shot to help Atlanta down Philadelphia and keep its slim playoff hopes alive.
In other games, it was: Pirates 6, Diamondbacks 5; Padres 6, Giants 4; Rockies 9, Dodgers 7; Astros 8, Reds 5.
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