G124: Red Sox 12, White Sox 8

White Sox - 022 030 010 -  8  8  2
Red Sox   - 016 200 30x - 12 13  1

All six of the Red Sox's third inning runs were unearned.

Alex Gonzalez (3-for-4) singled to center against Contreras. Jacoby Ellsbury flew out to center and Dustin Pedroia (also 3-for-4) popped to first. With two outs, the rally began.

Victor Martinez walked. Kevin Youkilis was hit by an 0-2 pitch to load the bases. David Ortiz, green-lighted on a 3-0 count, tapped a dribbler along the first base line. Contreras came over to field it, but could not pick it up with his glove. Tiz had stopped, then he ran around Contreras and Paul Konerko and continued on to first base. Seabass scored and Boston trailed 4-2.

Jason Bay walked to force in a run, and while Mike Lowell was batting, a wild pitch tied the game at 4-4. Lowell then capped an eight-pitch at-bat by crushing a three-run home run to left. Boston led 7-4.

Boston also had a nice two-out rally in the seventh. With two gone, J.D. Drew hit a solo home run over the bullpens. Gonzalez doubled, Ellsbury tripled, and Pedroia doubled.

Buchholz (4.2-6-7-3-3, 92) had an easy 1-2-3 first on nine pitches, but struggled most of the evening. Five of the seven runs he allowed came on home runs to Gordon Beckham and Konerko.

The Rays beat the Blue Jays 12-7 and stay 3 GB Boston in the wild card. Texas and New York were off, so the Rangers dropped to 1.5 GB in the WC and the Yankees' East lead over the Red Sox is now 7 GB.

Jose Contreras (5.13, 91 ERA+) / Clay Buchholz (3.99, 119 ERA+)

In Buchholz's last three starts -- against the Yankees, Tigers and Blue Jays -- he has a 1.89 ERA over 19 innings.

The Yankees and Rangers are off. They begin a three-game series in New York tomorrow.

David Ortiz, to WEEI:

To tell you the truth, I don't really like [hitting] seventh, and I haven't told that to no one. It's because the back of my jersey still says "Ortiz".