Red Sox 7, Astros 5: Stephen Drew clubbed a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning as visiting Boston won the rubber match of a three-game series from Houston.

Josh Fields (1-2) came on for the save with a one-run lead and surrendered a single to David Ortiz before walking Jonny Gomes. Drew belted an 0-1 curveball into the stands in right for his ninth home run.

Ortiz went 4-for-5 and Gomes’ two-run homer in the seventh put the Red Sox within 5-4. Junichi Tazawa (5-3) earned the win in relief and Koji Uehara picked up his 11th save as Boston extended its lead in the American League East to 2 1/2 games over Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox secured an early 2-0 lead but Robbie Grossman’s two-run blast evened it in the third inning. Jose Altuve singled in Grossman to start a three-run rally in the sixth as the Astros jumped ahead.

Jason Castro added two hits and an RBI and Marc Krauss drove in a run for Houston, which was looking for its first series win since taking two of three from Milwaukee from June 18-20.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Ortiz had a string of eight hits in as many at-bats broken up in the seventh, when he lined out to first. The All-Star slugger had reached base in 10 consecutive plate appearances. … Astros RHP Jarred Cosart was charged with two runs on seven hits while walking five in as many innings. The rookie had gone at least six innings and had not surrendered more than one earned run in any of his previous four major-league starts. Red Sox starter Ryan Dempster was knocked around for five runs on seven hits in six innings. … Boston recalled RHP Pedro Beato from Triple-A Pawtucket and placed LHP Matt Thornton (oblique) on the 15-day disabled list.