G154: Red Sox 8, Devil Rays 1

Beckett (6-4-1-2-8, 113) pockets his #20 win - Ortiz (4 RBI, 3 hits) and Lowell hit back-to-back dongs in the ninth -- Varitek bopped a solo dong in the eighth -- Ellsbury and Pedroia each scored twice -- and Gagne looked great with a 1-2-3 ninth inning in which his pitch speed ranged from 68 to 95. (box)

The Yankees scored four times in the bottom of the ninth to erase a 4-0 Blue Jays lead, but then lost when Gregg Zaun hit a solo dong in the 14th inning.

2.5 GA. Magic #: 7.

(And the Tigers crept closer to New York in the WC race (4.5 GB).)

***

Josh Beckett (3.20, 142 ERA+) / Scott Kazmir (3.54, 130 ERA+)

Two excellent pitching match-ups tonight, with Halladay/Wang in New York, also at 7 PM.

The big question: Can (or Will) the battling Blue Jays, now officially eliminated from the wild card race, roll over for the Yankees? On their off-day yesterday, the team announced Vernon Wells is done for the season and will have shoulder surgery. Since Wells struggled to keep his OBP above .300 since mid-June (and he slugged .202 over the last 28 days), his absence may actually help Toronto's chances for victory. But still -- Eff you, Ricciardi.