Red Sox 9, Yankees 8 (10): Shane Victorino homered and drove in three runs - including the winning tally in the 10th inning - as Boston rallied after squandering a five-run lead to claim the opener of the critical four-game series.

The Yankees rallied to take an 8-7 lead when Lyle Overbay capped a six-run seventh inning with a two-run single, but Mariano Rivera was unable to make it stand in the ninth. Mike Napoli kept the inning alive with a two-out single and pinch runner Quintin Berry stole second and took third on a wild throw before scoring on Stephen Drew's looping single to right field.

Jacoby Ellsbury singled with one out in the 10th against Joba Chamberlain (2-1), then stole second and scored on Victorino's base hit to right. Will Middlebrooks also homered as the Red Sox increased their lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East to 6 1/2 games. The Yankees slipped nine games back in the division but remained three behind the Rays for the second wild card.

Robinson Cano drove in three runs for New York. Ellsbury was 3-for-6 with an RBI and Ryan Lavarnway added two hits and two RBIs for Boston.

Craig Breslow (5-2) walked one and didn't allow a hit over two innings for the win. Koji Uehara retired the Yankees in order in the 10th for his 18th save. Uehara's 35 perfect relief appearances of one inning or more are eight more than any other pitcher in the majors.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The blown save was Rivera's sixth of the season, his highest total since 2003. … Yankees starter Ivan Nova, who on Wednesday was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for August, lasted only four innings - allowing three runs on five hits. Counterpart Jake Peavy was charged with four runs on six hits in six-plus frames, snapping a string of four straight starts with fewer than three runs allowed. ... Cano's double in the third inning was his 30th of the season, making him one of four players in major-league history to begin his career with nine consecutive campaigns with 30 or more doubles. The others are Albert Pujols, Earl Averill and Paul Waner.