BOSTON — It was three hours into the game, and Mike Lowell was 0 for 3 with two strikeouts while stranding five baserunners.

The next two at-bats changed everything.

The former World Series MVP hit a three-run homer in the seventh to give the Red Sox the lead, then added a three-run double in the eighth in Boston's 16-11 victory over the New York Yankees. It was Boston's ninth straight win, and its biggest comeback victory against the Yankees since 1968.

"It was going back-and-forth; it seemed like whoever was up last was going to win," Lowell said. "You've got to be mentally prepared for every pitch."

In all, 12 pitchers threw 385 pitches and managed to retire the side in order just twice — once for each team — in a 4 hour, 21 minute game that tied for the sixth-longest nine-inning game in baseball history. The two longest also were between the Yankees and Red Sox.

"Lot of pitching changes. Lot of runs. Lot of commercials," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "There's that many pitches thrown, and it seems like every one is of consequence. It can drain you."

Boston was trailing 6-0 before Jason Bay singled in a run and Jason Varitek hit a grand slam to make it 6-5 in the fourth. The Yankees led 10-9 in the seventh when they intentionally walked Bay — Friday night's star — to face Lowell, and he homered off Jonathan Albaladejo (1-1) to make it 12-10.

The Yankees again walked Bay to get to Lowell in the eighth, and he drove in another three runs with a double off the Green Monster.

"His RBIs in the last few innings were the difference in the game," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "In the first couple of at-bats, we weren't able to get Bay out. That combination has really hurt us in this series so far."

Hideki Okajima (1-0) got two outs for the win, then Ramon Ramirez got out of the eighth after putting runners on second and third with one out. Dustin Pedroia had three hits and Jacoby Ellsbury hit his first homer of the year for Boston.

Robinson Cano homered twice and drove in five for the Yankees.

WHITE SOX 10, BLUE JAYS 2:

Alexei Ramirez hit his fifth career grand slam to cap off a six-run fifth inning and drove in a career-high five runs, Jermaine Dye added a two-run homer and Mark Buehrle (3-0) gave up two runs and six hits in six innings as host Chicago routed Toronto.

ATHLETICS 5, RAYS 2:

Jason Giambi hit his first homer of the season, Travis Buck also homered, and Nomar Garciaparra hit a three-run double in support of Dallas Braden (2-2), who allowed one run and four hits in 5 1/3 innings as host Oakland snapped a five-game losing streak.

TIGERS 9, ROYALS 1:

Gerald Laird and Curtis Granderson hit two-run homers, Magglio Ordonez added a solo shot, and Zach Miner (2-1) picked up the victory, going five-plus innings and allowing one run on three hits, to lead visiting Detroit past Kansas City.

RANGERS 6, ORIOLES 5:

Ian Kinsler homered twice, Andruw Jones and Chris Davis also connected, and host Texas led off the first three innings with home runs against Mark Hendrickson (1-3), who lasted only 4 1/3 innings in beating Baltimore.

TWINS 7, INDIANS 1:

Kevin Slowey (3-0) carried a five-hit shutout into the ninth but allowed three singles to open the inning before departing with the bases loaded, and Jason Kubel hit two solo homers, leading visiting Minnesota over Cleveland.

MARINERS 9, ANGELS 8:

Russell Branyan blasted a three-run homer in the top of the first inning, Carlos Silva (1-2) won for the first time in his last 15 starts dating to last season, allowing three runs and six hits over five innings, and Seattle benefited from a video replay ruling in a victory over Los Angeles.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 8, CUBS 2:

Albert Pujols hit his second grand slam of the season — the eighth of his career — and surpassed 1,000 career RBIs with 1,002, and Mitchell Boggs (1-0) allowed a run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings to lead St. Louis over Chicago for its ninth straight home win.

"I hit that ball really good, I'm not going to lie to you," Pujols said. "That's all I got. I hit that ball as good as you can hit a ball. I'm just blessed that I put a good swing on it."

BRAVES 10, REDS 2:

Yunel Escobar drove in four runs and finished a triple short of the cycle, Chipper Jones hit a three-run homer and also drove in four runs as visiting Atlanta jumped on Bronson Arroyo (3-1) for six runs in the first two innings to beat Cincinnati.

METS 8, NATIONALS 2:

Mike Pelfrey Pelfrey (2-0) allowed two runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings, Ryan Church drove in three runs and host New York scored four unearned runs off Daniel Cabrera (0-2), who lasted only 2 1/3 innings for Washington, which is 0-8 on the road.

PHILLIES 6, MARLINS 4:

Shane Victorino singled with a one-out in the top of the 10th, stole second and scored when Chase Utley lined a shot past shortstop Hanley Ramirez to break a 4-all tie, and Jayson Werth added an RBI single to lift Philadelphia over Florida.

DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 5:

Russell Martin matched a career high with four RBIs, James McDonald (1-1) gave up five runs and four hits in five innings earn his first major league win, and Orlando Hudson doubled to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games as visiting Los Angeles beat Colorado.

BREWERS 9, ASTROS 8:

Corey Hart doubled to start the top of the 11th inning off Jeff Geary (0-3) and Ryan Braun followed with his fourth hit of the game, a run-scoring single to break a 8-all tie as Milwaukee beat Houston after blowing a lead in the ninth.

GIANTS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 3:

Randy Winn rescued Randy Johnson, who walked seven and lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his return to Arizona, hitting a two-run homer, and Edgar Renteria added a two-run double to lead San Francisco to its fifth straight victory.

PIRATES 10, PADRES 1:

Left-hander Zach Duke (3-1) allowed one run and six hits in 8 1/3 innings to win consecutive road starts for the first time in four years, and Craig Monroe and Freddy Sanchez each had three hits as visiting Pittsburgh romped past San Diego.

NOTES

DIAMONDBACKS:

Brandon Webb, who hasn't pitched since opening day, will rest for three weeks after the right-hander felt tightness in the shoulder while playing catch Friday. He hopes to ease back into the rotation with bullpen sessions and a possible rehabilitation start.

TWINS:

Minnesota catcher Joe Mauer could rejoin the club as early as Tuesday after spending time on the disabled list with a sore lower back. Mauer went 0 for 3 and caught seven innings last night in his second rehabilitation game with Class-A Fort Myers.