Indians' magic number at 2

A pitcher who was supposed to start the season in the minors has helped put the Indians on the verge of their first division title since 2001. It's been that kind of year for Cleveland.

Fausto Carmona won his 18th game, and Ryan Garko and Jhonny Peralta hit back-to-back homers as host Cleveland beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3 on Friday night to lower its magic number for clinching the AL Central to 2.

Coupled with Detroit's 5-4 win over Kansas City, the Indians remained 7½ games ahead in the division. The Indians have nine games left, the Tigers eight, and have a chance to clinch it tonight.

"It's real exciting," Garko said. "The best part is we've been able to stop watching the scoreboard."

Red Sox 8, Devil Rays 1: Josh Beckett (20-6) became the first 20-game winner in the majors, and Boston used late home runs by Jason Varitek, David Ortiz and Mike Lowell for a victory over host Tampa Bay. The victory snapped Boston's four-game losing streak and reduced the AL East-leading Red Sox's magic number to clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth to 2.

Blue Jays 5, Yankees 4 (14): Gregg Zaun homered in the 14th inning, and Toronto stalled New York's playoff charge, bouncing back for a victory after blowing a 4-run lead in the ninth. Alex Rios hit a 2-run homer for the Blue Jays, who won their fourth straight and dropped the Yankees 2½ games behind first-place Boston in the AL East. New York's wild-card lead was trimmed to 4½ games over Detroit.

National League

Phillies 6, Nationals 3: Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell and Jimmy Rollins homered to lead Philadelphia to its major-league-leading 48th come-from-behind victory, this one at Washington. The Phillies, who have won eight of nine, began the day 1½ games behind first-place New York in the NL East, which led Philadelphia by seven games on Sept. 12, played Florida on Friday night.