A three-run double in the seventh by Victor Martinez put Boston in front Wednesday and the Red Sox produced 15 hits in downing Baltimore 7-5. Baltimore took a 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the sixth but the Red Sox then tied it on an RBI single by Dustin Pedroia and took the lead on the bases-loaded double by Martinez. Boston maintained a two-game lead over Texas in the chase for the American League wild-card berth.

Victor Martinez's two-out double in a six-run ninth inning put Boston in front Friday, and the Red Sox defeated Texas 8-4. The Rangers appeared ready to assume the lead in the American League wild-card race in the opener of a crucial series, but Boston overwhelmed closer Frank Francisco (2-2) to pull out a dramatic victory. Texas took a 4-2 lead into the ninth, thanks in part to a two-run, first-inning homer by Michael Young, but David Ortiz opened the final frame with a double. Jason Varitek followed with an infield single, and Jacoby Ellsbury singled in Ortiz.

Several non-major transactions were made Friday before Major League Baseball's non-waiver trading deadline. The top deal had Cleveland sending slugging first baseman Victor Martinez to Boston for three young pitchers -- Justin Masterson, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price. Martinez is batting .284 with 15 homers and 67 RBI. The Indians had a $7 million signing option on Martinez for next season. Elsewhere, Detroit got southpaw Jarrod Washburn from Seattle for fellow lefties Luke French and Mauricio Robles; Oakland dealt shortstop Orlando Cabrera to the Minnesota Twins for minor league shortstop Tyler Ladendorf and cash; Boston sent first baseman Adam La Roche to Atlanta, his former team; Washington sent first baseman Nick Johnson to Florida and Toronto dealt third baseman Scott Rolen to Cincinnati after sending outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr.

Victor Martinez and Shin-Soo Choo combined for seven RBI Thursday and Cleveland built a big lead en route to an 11-7 victory over Tampa Bay. Both Martinez and Choo had four hits, helping the Indians vault to a 9-0 advantage through 5 ½ innings. That allowed Cleveland to survive a six-run Tampa Bay sixth, during which Ben Zobrist hit a three-run homer. Martinez doubled home two runs in the fifth, added an RBI double in the sixth and singled home another run in the eighth.

Victor Martinez was one of four Cleveland players with three hits and delivered a solo homer Wednesday, leading the Indians past Boston 9-2. The Red Sox, coming off their second sweep of the New York Yankees this year, had a nine-game home winning streak snapped. Asdrubal Cabrera, Martinez, Shin-Soo Choo and Mark DeRosa, batting second through fifth, accounted for all but one of the Cleveland hits and drove in all but one of the runs. Martinez doubled home two runs in the fifth to put the Indians in front for good, had an RBI single in the seventh and added his homer in the ninth.