"Jacoby Ellsbury might be having a better statistical season, but an argument could be made that as Dustin Pedroia goes, so go the Red Sox.

In desperate need of a slump-busting effort - personally and for his team - Pedroia put together the kind of game last night that took care of both. Tim Wakefield might be getting most of the credit today for finally recording career victory No. 200, and rightly so, but it was Pedroia's bat that woke up a Sox team that was picking a dicey time to doze off.

Pedroia tied a career-high with five RBIs, hitting two home runs and going 4-for-5 in an 18-6 laugher over Toronto at Fenway Park. Coupled with Tampa Bay's 4-2 loss to Baltimore, Boston's lead in the AL wild-card race grew to four games. It also emphatically ended a five-game losing streak by the Sox."