BOSTON — Jacoby Ellsbury studied Andy Pettitte's slow windup. He took a few steps toward home. Then he took off.

The Red Sox speedster slid headfirst, stirred up a cloud of dirt and looked at plate umpire Gary Cederstrom.

Safe.

"The biggest thing is getting the courage to go, I guess. In that situation, bases loaded, you've got to make it," Ellsbury said after a 4-1 win last night gave the Red Sox their 10th straight win and a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. "I was pretty confident that I could get in there."

Ellsbury decided to run in the fifth after watching Pettitte's previous pitch. Batter J.D. Drew didn't know that but, as a left-handed hitter, saw him running and sliding under Jorge Posada's swipe.

So did Pettitte (2-1).

"Obviously, that's frustrating," said Pettitte, a left-hander. "I was in the windup. I should have been in the stretch."

In the fifth, David Ortiz doubled in the go-ahead run before Kevin Youkilis was walked intentionally to load the bases. As Pettitte began his windup with third baseman Angel Berroa playing far off the bag, Ellsbury ran.

Drew later hit a ground-rule double that made it 4-1.

Justin Masterson (2-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings for the victory. Takashi Saito pitched the ninth for his second save.

BLUE JAYS 4, WHITE SOX 3:

Scott Rolen hit a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning, helping visiting Toronto beat Chicago to secure its sixth straight series win this season. Rod Barajas had three hits for the Blue Jays, who have won eight of 11 games.

ORIOLES 8, RANGERS 5:

Adam Jones hit a three-run homer in the sixth inning and host Baltimore beat Texas. With one out, Jones hit an 0-1 slider from reliever Jason Jennings (0-1) into the seats in left-center to give Baltimore a 7-5 lead.

ANGELS 8, MARINERS 0:

Howie Kendrick homered and had a career-high four RBIs, Jered Weaver combined with two relievers on a five-hitter for host Los Angeles. Weaver (2-1) allowed three hits over seven innings.

ATHLETICS 7, RAYS 1:

Kurt Suzuki, a Baldwin High alum from Maui, drove in three runs, and Dana Eveland (1-1) pitched into the sixth for host Oakland. Suzuki had a two-run double in the second and walked with the bases loaded in the fifth.

INDIANS 4, TWINS 2:

Aaron Laffey pitched into the seventh inning, helping host Cleveland avoid a three-game sweep. Laffey (2-0) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.

TIGERS 3, ROYALS 2:

Brandon Inge hit a two-run homer in the second and Armando Galarraga pitched six solid innings for visiting Detroit. Galarraga (3-0) allowed one run, struck out seven and walked five.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

PHILLIES 13, MARLINS 2:

Shane Victorino, a St. Anthony High alum from Maui, drove in four runs, Jamie Moyer (3-1) pitched six solid innings and visiting Philadelphia extended Florida's skid to six. Victorino had a two-run single in the seventh and a two-run double in the eighth.

PIRATES 8, PADRES 3:

Ross Ohlendorf (2-2) pitched into the eighth inning and Adam LaRoche hit two home runs, lifting visiting Pittsburgh to the victory. LaRoche hit a three-run shot off Jake Peavy (2-3) in the fifth. He added a solo homer in the ninth.

CUBS 10, CARDINALS 3:

Kosuke Fukudome hit a three-run homer and drove in five on his 32nd birthday, leading visiting Chicago to the victory. Rich Harden (2-1) struck out nine in six innings for the Cubs.

DIAMONDBACKS 5, GIANTS 4:

Conor Jackson hit a bases-loaded single in the 12th inning to give host Arizona the win. The Diamondbacks tied it at 4 with a three-run ninth, capped by Justin Upton's two-run homer.

ASTROS 3, BREWERS 2:

Ivan Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking homer in the fourth inning and host Houston snapped Milwaukee's four-game winning streak. Russ Ortiz (2-0) pitched five innings for the win.

NATIONALS 8, METS 1:

Jordan Zimmermann (2-0) allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings, and Washington earned its first road victory this season. Washington's Jesus Flores homered and drove in three runs.

ROCKIES 10, DODGERS 4:

Ryan Spilborghs homered and drove in three runs for host Colorado, and Clint Barmes added a two-run shot. Jeff Baker had a bases-loaded triple for the Rockies.

REDS 8, BRAVES 2:

Jay Bruce homered twice and drove in four runs to lift host Cincinnati. Micah Owings (1-2) allowed one run and six hits for the win.