MLB: Boston 6, N.Y. Yankees 5

BOSTON, June 10 (UPI) -- Kevin Youkilis gave Boston a four-run lead with a two-run homer in the fourth inning Wednesday and the Red Sox held on to defeat the New York Yankees 6-5.

Boston has won all seven meetings with the Yankees this season and has beaten them eight times in a row dating to last year.

Tim Wakefield (8-3) gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings to earn his second straight win over New York after having lost nine of his previous 10 starts against the Yankees.

Boston owns a one-game lead over New York at the top of the American League East.

George Kottaras and Dustin Pedroia both had RBI doubles in the second to give the Red Sox a 3-1 lead and Mike Lowell hit a solo homer in the third.

Youkilis then hit his 10th homer of the year to give Boston a 6-2 advantage.

New York closed to within 6-5 through seven innings, getting solo homers from Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira, but the Yankees were shut down over the final 2 1/3 innings by Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon.

Papelbon worked around a one-out walk in the ninth for his 15th save.

Chien-Ming Wang (0-4) allowed four runs on six hits in just 2 2/3 innings to take the loss in his 100th career start.