This season, Tim Wakefield's performance has fluttered like his knuckleball, fluctuating unpredictably between great and ugly.

Early on, he was dominant, posting a league-best 1.79 ERA through seven starts. Then he wavered, allowing five or more earned runs in five of nine starts. Now the knuckler is back in form, as Wakefield has been strong in his last two starts - allowing one run in 6 2/3 innings to Texas June 29 and four in 6 1/3 innings yesterday to pick up the win in a 7-5 decision over Tampa Bay.

Wakefield improved his record to 9-8 - he has earned a decision in each start - with an ERA of 4.39.

"In spring training, [I asked manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell] what they wanted from me, and they said innings and decisions," Wakefield said. "I'm very pleased with the way the first half has gone, and hopefully, I can keep this momentum going in the second half."

His four earned runs allowed didn't look impressive in the box score, but the only real damage with him in the game came on a second-inning home run by Raul Casanova, who now is 4 for 7 lifetime against Wakefield.

Wakefield allowed three singles in the seventh - "I just threw six pitches and I turned around and the bases were loaded," he said - and was replaced by Javier Lopez, who allowed all three base runners to score, plus one more, letting Tampa Bay creep back into the game.

"I thought Wake was great on a day when the ballpark's playing very small," said Francona. "He was really good. We got to a point in the seventh where they threw up some quick hits and we were pretty comfortable where we were with our bullpen. It didn't work out quite the way we anticipated."

But Manny Delcarmen got the Sox out of the inning and allowed no further damage in the eighth, and Jonathan Papelbon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 20th save.

At times, Wakefield has been the victim of a lack of run support. In his eight losses, the Sox have scored just 1.3 runs per game with Wakefield in the game. This time, they got on the board with a run in the first, then tacked on three runs each in the fourth and fifth.

"Obviously, our offense made it a whole lot easier to pitch," Wakefield said.

It's easier to play behind him, too. Wakefield is a fielder's delight because he works fast. Yesterday's game, even with 12 runs, was played in a tidy 2 hours 33 minutes.

"When he's throwing strikes - he works quickly, anyway - but when he's getting ahead, it's great," said third baseman Mike Lowell.

"You get into a nice rhythm, you really do. And your defense plays better. They're not on their heels. Because those long innings, it's tough. You just feel like you get beat down. Wake does a good job with that."

His outings may have fluctuated, but his demeanor never has. Wakefield, 40, has stayed steady throughout his 15 major league seasons.

"Wakefield is such a pro," said Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon. "I have always really appreciated his work from a distance because he's been doing it for a while. He goes out there and is always the same. He keeps making pitches. He is never flustered."