ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Baseball's feel-good story of the year is on the verge of getting even better.

The AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays beat the Boston Red Sox, 10-3, last night, moving closer to their first playoff berth with another "star-less" effort that's become their signature.

"I wouldn't expect too much else from this team," rookie Fernando Perez said after he, Willy Aybar and Gabe Gross homered off Tim Wakefield to pace the rout before a sellout crowd of 36,048 at Tropicana Field.

"The way this team is put together, it isn't put together like the Yankees. It isn't a hoard of superstars that are expected to do well," Perez added. "This team is built on solid pitching and unity. Nobody sticks out. To see us win a game, everybody comes in and does something. We don't have the personalities that stand in the way of that."

Matt Garza gave up two long home runs to David Ortiz, but the Rays otherwise held the Red Sox in check to extend their division lead over them to two games.

Tampa Bay (90-60) can clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth by beating Minnesota twice during a four-game series that begins here today.

"They're good," Ortiz said. "They're playing like they have nothing to lose, and that's dangerous."

Yankees 5, White Sox 1: Alex Rodriguez homered to pass Babe Ruth and become the only player with 35 homers and 100 RBIs in 12 seasons, and host New York slowed Chicago's pursuit of the AL Central crown. The White Sox remained two games ahead of second-place Minnesota.

INDIANS 6, TWINS 4: Cliff Lee was denied his 23rd win and finished with a no-decision after Jhonny Peralta and Victor Martinez hit RBI doubles in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 4-all tie as Cleveland completed a three-game sweep of Minnesota.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Phillies 6, Braves 1: Ryan Howard drove in the first run in a four-run first inning, and rookie J.A. Happ pitched six scoreless innings as visiting Philadelphia won its season-high sixth straight game to remain a half-game ahead of New York in the NL East.

METS 9, NATIONALS 7: Carlos Beltran homered from both sides of the plate, Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado also hit home runs, and visiting New York built a big lead then held on to beat Washington and keep its half-game lead over Milwaukee for the wild card.

Brewers 6, Cubs 2: Prince Fielder hit a three-run double as host Milwaukee overcame the loss of pitcher Ben Sheets, who left after two innings because of a sore right elbow, to beat Chicago and end a five-game losing streak. Chicago's magic number for clinching the NL Central remained at four.

Pirates 15, Dodgers 8: Adam LaRoche hit a solo homer and a grand slam, and host Pittsburgh used an eight-run seventh inning to cut Los Angeles' lead in the NL West to 3 1/2 games over second-place Arizona.

DIAMONDBACKS 6, GIANTS 2: Brandon Webb (21-7) gave up three runs on eight hits in seven innings and added a two-run double as host Arizona beat San Francisco for its third consecutive victory to close to 3 1/2 games of Los Angeles.