Boston needed a win, and Josh Beckett delivered.
The All-Star right-hander pitched six strong innings to become the first 20-game winner in the majors since 2005, and the Red Sox used late home runs by Jason Varitek, David Ortiz and Mike Lowell to pull away to an 8-1 victory over the Devil Rays on Friday night.
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 two.
Beckett Becomes First 20-Game Winner Since 2005