BOSTON, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Jacoby Ellsbury put Boston in front for good with a two-run homer in the sixth Wednesday and the Red Sox went on to down the New York Yankees 9-5.
The teams have split the opening two meetings of their three-game showdown and Boston boosted its lead over the second-place Yankees in the American League East to 1 1/2 games.
A two-run homer by David Ortiz in the fifth gave Boston a 4-1 lead but the Yankees scored four times to go in front in the sixth. Eric Chavez drove in the second and third runs of the inning with a double and scored the go-ahead tally on a sacrifice fly by Eduardo Nunez.
Boston came right back in the bottom of the inning when Josh Reddick drew a one-out walk and forged a 5-5 tie by scoring on Jason Varitek's double.
Ellsbury then came through with his two-out homer to left-center. Varitek added insurance with a two-run homer in the eighth.
Josh Beckett (12-5) survived seven innings to get the win, giving up five runs on six hits and striking out eight. Beckett has defeated New York four times this season, the first Boston pitcher to do so in 24 years.
New York starter Phil Hughes (4-5) surrendered six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings to suffer the loss.
