Exactly three weeks earlier, Tim Wakefield experienced one of the worst afternoons of his pitching life against the same Tigers he saw in this Sunday matinee at Fenway Park.

There were six home runs belted against Wakefield on that wild day in Motown. While he somehow recorded a victory that day, Wakefield this time was able to secure a win against the Tigers without getting badly humbled in the process.

Instead, he made the Tigers positively helpless with one of his top efforts of the season. His knuckleball danced and darted, landing nearly everywhere but in the heart of the Detroit bats. He completed Boston's four-game sweep of the Tigers, pitching the Sox to a 6-1 triumph.

Over eight innings, Wakefield allowed three hits and one run while striking out seven. He improved to 11-7 and lowered his ERA to 4.38.

The 76-53 Sox continue to apply almost daily beatings through this torrid stretch of baseball. They've won six in a row, 12 of 13 and 18 out of 22.

While maintaining their lead in the Wild Card standings, the Sox also reduced their American League East deficit to 4 1/2 games, marking the first time since June 23 they've been that close to the Yankees.

"Everything's clicking on all cylinders for us," said Wakefield. "The defense is great, the offense is great and our starting pitching has been very good for the last two weeks. So when you have your motor running on all cylinders, it's tough to beat us."

Boston could not have forecasted a better way to head into the upcoming nine-game stretch against fellow postseason contenders, which begins on Tuesday night at Fenway Park against the equally hot Angels.

As for Wakefield's personal redemption against the Tigers, he said that it wasn't even on his mind. The consummate veteran, Wakefield was more consumed with keeping his team's roll intact.

"I mean, it never really crossed my mind," Wakefield said of the Motown mauling. "It's just one of those things that happened. I've always used the philosophy that you're only as good as your next start. So I had to go out there and try to help us win."

In fact, he played the leading role.

"He was so good today," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "He just pounded the strike zone, not only his knuckleball, but he threw a lot of breaking balls. When his ball his moving that much and he's throwing it for strikes, it's a tough combo for the opposing team."

Despite Wakefield's mastery, the Sox, at least for a while, kept things suspenseful. But in the bottom of the fifth, they emphatically emerged from a 1-0 deficit, scoring four runs with two outs.

Mark Bellhorn applied a finishing touch in the bottom of the seventh, raking a two-run homer to right.

Neither pitcher buckled over the first four innings. Wakefield's lone blemish came with one out in the fifth, as Craig Monroe took him over the Green Monster for a solo shot that broke the scoreless tie.

Tigers left-hander Wilfredo Ledezma was looking a lot like the guy who fired seven shutout innings against the Sox in a 3-0 victory last July. But this time, it didn't last.

After compiling just two hits over the first four innings, the Boston bats enlivened by starting a clutch rally with the bases empty and two outs in the fifth.

Gabe Kapler got things clicking with a hard single to left and then stole second with a headfirst dive. Johnny Damon walked and then Bellhorn reached on an infield single to load the bases.

The Sox had the right guys coming up. Manny Ramirez mashed the first pitch up the middle for a two-run single and suddenly, the Sox were in the lead at 2-1. David Ortiz, as he often does, followed Ramirez's clutch knock with one of his own. Ortiz's RBI single to center scored Bellhorn.

Then, Kevin Millar dribbled one to short, resulting in an infield hit that got Ramirez home to make it 4-1.

"We battled," said Damon. "He was making some pretty good pitches. A few of us we're upset we didn't get him earlier in the game. But I think we [wore] him down. We were out there hustling, making him work for everything. Bases loaded, Manny came up with the big hit. It seemed like the rest of the guys relaxed. Things are looking really good for us."

So good that the bullpen, in advance of Monday's off-day, was able to rest up for the Anaheim series. With Wakefield going eight innings, only Curtis Leskanic was pressed in to action.

He mowed the Tigers down in order, capping the sweep with a strikeout of Dmitri Young.