The Red Sox, who lost the series opener 5-2 on Tuesday night, extended their AL East lead over the Yankees to 1 1/2 games and improved to 11-3 this season against their division rivals.

David Ortiz and Jason Varitek also hit two-run homers for Boston. Josh Beckett (12-5) allowed five runs, four earned, and six hits in seven innings, but improved to 4-0 with a 1.85 ERA in five starts against the Yankees this season.

The Yankees scored four runs in the sixth and went ahead 5-4.

But in the bottom of the inning, Phil Hughes (4-5) allowed three runs, capped by Ellsbury’s 24th homer.

In Arlington, Texas,  James Shields pitched eight shutout innings and Johnny Damon homered for Tampa Bay, which has won 10 of its last 15.

Shields (13-10) allowed four hits, walked one and struck out seven, giving him 1,001 for his career. David Murphy hit a two-out RBI single for Texas in the ninth, but Kyle Farnsworth struck out Yorvit Torrealba to end the game.

Shields had struggled in his three previous starts at Rangers Ballpark, going 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA while yielding 22 hits and five homers.

In Detroit, Wilson Betemit capped Detroit’s three-run eighth inning with a tiebreaking RBI double against his former team.

Austin Jackson went 4 for 4 and scored three times for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who have won seven of 10. Miguel Cabrera added two hits and Jose Valverde worked the ninth for his 40th save in 40 chances.

Indians 4 Athletics 3, 16 innings: In Cleveland, Jack Hannahan’s single with one out in the 16th inning scored pinch-runner Cord Phelps from second base and moved Cleveland into second place in the AL Central.

Jim Thome singled with one out off Josh Outman (3-4), the A’s eighth pitcher, and was replaced by Phelps. Carlos Santana lined a single to center before Hannahan, who hit two solo homers, singled to right. Phelps never slowed and was able to slip headfirst under the tag of catcher Kurt Suzuki , who had to jump to catch right fielder David DeJesus’ strong throw.

In Chicago, Jason Kubel and Luke Hughes homered during Minnesota’s six-run first inning, and the Twins snapped Chicago’s five-game winning streak.

Kubel and Hughes each hit a two-run shot off Jake Peavy (6-7), who allowed four consecutive extra-base hits during his rocky opening inning. Trevor Plouffe , Joe Mauer and Michael Cuddyer hit three straight doubles to plate the first two runs.

In Seattle, Felix Hernandez pitched a five-hitter and Mike Carp hit a two-run double with two outs in the eighth inning to lead Seattle.

The loss prevented the Angels from gaining ground on first-place Texas in the AL West. The Rangers, who earlier lost to Tampa Bay 5-1, maintain a 3 1/2 -game lead.

Hernandez (13-11), who dueled with Angels starter Dan Haren all night, gave up five hits, walked one and struck out nine in his fifth complete game of the season.

In Baltimore, Henderson Alvarez allowed three hits in eight innings to become the youngest Toronto starter to win a game since 1979.

Jose Bautista , Kelly Johnson , Jose Molina and Edwin Encarnacion homered for the Blue Jays, who matched a season high with 20 hits. Bautista now has 39 homers on the year.

Alvarez (1-2) faced the minimum 21 batters through seven innings. At 21 years and 135 days, he is the youngest Toronto pitcher to earn a victory since Kelvim Escobar in 1997 and the youngest starter to win since Phil Huffman did it 32 years ago.