Red Sox 9, Yankees 2: Mike Napoli homered and Clay Buchholz worked six solid innings as Boston polished off a three-game sweep of visiting New York.

David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia each drove in a pair of runs and Daniel Nava went 4-for-5 with an RBI for the Red Sox, who lowered their magic number for clinching the American League East to four. Boston leads the Tampa Bay Rays by 9 1/2 games in the division and has won 17 of its last 21 contests.

Alex Rodriguez drove in a run before leaving with right calf tightness as the Yankees fell three games behind the Rays and Texas Rangers in the wild-card race. Ivan Nova (8-5) was knocked around for five runs - four earned - on six hits and four walks in four-plus innings to suffer his first loss since July 27.

New York grabbed a run in the first but gave back that - and more - in the bottom of the frame. The Red Sox tied it on Ortiz’s RBI single and took the lead on Napoli’s mammoth two-run blast to center field.

Boston added single runs in the fourth and fifth and got RBI base hits from Nava and Ortiz in the sixth to put it away. Buchholz (11-0) struggled with his command, issuing four walks while hitting a batter, but limited the damage to an unearned run on two hits in his second start since coming off the disabled list.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Red Sox honored Yankees closer Mariano Rivera on the field before the game, as he received gifts from the Boston players and ownership along with a long standing ovation from the rival fans. … Napoli has hit seven of his 22 home runs in 16 games against New York. He was ejected by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa after arguing a called strike that ended the sixth inning. That strikeout was his 178th of the season, a new franchise record. … Boston gets Monday off before resuming its nine-game homestand against the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees continue their road trip at Toronto on Tuesday.