Boston ? This time, Tim Wakefield walked off a winner against the New York Yankees.

Six months after he gave up Aaron Boone’s game-ending homer that thrilled Yankee Stadium fans and gave New York a win in Game 7 of the AL championship series, he pitched seven strong innings as Boston won, 6-2, Friday night.

The Red Sox knuckleballer shut down the standout player who took Boone’s place at third base, Alex Rodriguez, who went 0-for-4 in the stadium that nearly was his home.

“It really meant a lot” to hear the fans cheer, Wakefield said. “They’ve really opened their arms and embraced me like a second son.”

He received a loud ovation before the home opener, and is content that his reputation will not be tarnished by one bad pitch in an ALCS in which he made two outstanding starts.

Rodriguez was the one who was disappointed after the latest meeting between the fierce rivals.

“It was a bit of a letdown,” said Rodriguez, who nearly was traded to Boston in December. “It was very intense out there.”

Rodriguez, the AL home run champion, went 0-for-3 against Wakefield, lined out in eighth against Scott Williamson and didn’t hit the ball out of the infield.

Manny Ramirez, who would have been traded for Rodriguez, AL batting champion Bill Mueller and Doug Mirabelli homered off Javier Vazquez (1-1). Jorge Posada hit his fifth homer for New York in the second, cutting Boston’s lead to 4-1, after Wakefield retired his first five batters.

“He was fine after the first inning,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said. “Then he gave up the homer to Mirabelli.”

Boston's Bill Mueller rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run. The Red Sox beat the Yankees, 6-2, Friday in Boston.

Wakefield allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in seven innings. He struck out four.

Orioles 11, Blue Jays 2

Toronto — Javy Lopez homered to spark a six-run second inning, and Matt Riley pitched one-hit ball for seven dominant innings. Toronto managed just two hits in all, and Miguel Batista (0-2) had poor command throughout his four-plus innings.

Riley (1-0) kept the Blue Jays’ offense down, allowing only Josh Phelps’ homer in the second and three walks. He struck out a career-high seven.

D-Rays 3, White Sox 0

St. Petersburg, Fla. — Paul Abbott allowed four hits in seven innings, and Carl Crawford and Julio Lugo homered for Tampa Bay.

Abbott (1-1) struck out five and walked two. Trever Miller, Chad Gaudin and Danys Baez completed the four-hitter. Baez pitched the ninth for his first save for Tampa Bay (5-4), which matched its best start to a season through nine games.

Crawford put the Devil Rays up 1-0 with his first career leadoff homer. It was also his first home run since Sept. 9.

Dan Wright (0-2) went 42/3 innings for the White Sox, who came up short in a bid for their first 7-3 start since 1991. Chicago reliever Shingo Takatsu retired all five batters he faced in his second major-league appearance.

Indians 10, Tigers 3

Cleveland — Jody Gerut went 5-for-5 with three RBIs to help C.C. Sabathia get his first win this season, and Cleveland finished with a season-high 19 hits.

Gerut homered, doubled three times and singled as Cleveland battered Nate Cornejo (1-1), who was tagged for career highs in runs (eight) and hits (14) in five-plus innings.

The Indians also hit reliever Ugueth Urbina, who gave up one run and two hits in his first appearance since last year’s World Series for Florida.

Sabathia (1-0) allowed four hits in six innings to improve to 7-2 in 12 career starts against Detroit.

Rangers 5, Mariners 0

Seattle — Chan Ho Park (1-2) pitched seven scoreless innings, and Hank Blalock and Laynce Nix each homered, doubled and drove in two runs to lead Texas.

Athletics 3, Angels 0

Anaheim, Calif. — Tim Hudson outpitched Bartolo Colon, and the Oakland Athletics hit three home runs. Adam Melhuse, Eric Byrnes and Jermaine Dye each homered off Colon (2-1). Hudson (2-0), coming off a 2-1, complete-game victory over Seattle in which he threw just 86 pitches, allowed six hits and struck out seven.