By HOWARD ULMAN
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON(AP) -- Josh Beckett watched college football during a rain
delay of more than 2 hours. Then he put on a show that Red Sox
fans hadn't seen in a month.

Boston's ace got his first victory since Aug. 12, allowing one
run on four hits, and Alex Gonzalez led an eight-run third
inning as the Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-1 in a game
called by rain in the top of the sixth Saturday night.

"There was a different football game on every TV that you walked
by so we stayed pretty busy," before the game began 2 hours, 5
minutes late, Beckett said. "I've been through these situations
enough to where I know that I can't expend a lot of energy
worrying about when the game is going to start."

It was another encouraging sign for Beckett (15-6) after a
four-game stretch in which he allowed 24 earned runs and 12
homers in 24 1-3 innings. His comeback began last Monday when he
gave up three runs in seven innings in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago
White Sox in which he retired his last 10 batters.

"Hopefully, that will bring his confidence up for his next
start," said Kevin Youkilis, who singled in a run in the third
and hit his 25th homer of the year, a solo shot, in the fourth.

Beckett allowed just one single through four innings and two
more in the fifth. The Rays' final hit was a double by Evan
Longoria leading off the sixth, the last batter before the field
was covered during a pouring rain. After a 55-minute delay, the
game was called at 11:54 p.m.

Boston increased its AL wild-card lead to 3 games over Texas,
which lost to Seattle. Tampa Bay's losing streak reached nine
games.

For his last 2 1/2 games, the timing of Beckett's delivery
improved and he avoided overthrowing the ball which had led to
poorly located pitches, pitching coach John Farrell said. On
Saturday, he struck out four and walked one.

"That's what I feel like I should do every time out," said
Beckett, whose five-game winless stretch was his longest since
July 29-Aug. 19, 2006. "You've just got to keep grinding every
day and things end up working out."

There was no rain most of the time during the first delay, but
forecasts showed improving conditions. Friday night's game was
postponed by rain after just 12 minutes of play that began after
a delay of 2 hours, 20 minutes. It was rescheduled as part of a
day-night doubleheader on Sunday.

Wade Davis (0-1) was shelled after an outstanding major league
debut six days earlier when he left with a 3-1 lead after seven
innings - he allowed three hits and one walk with nine
strikeouts. But Detroit's Brandon Inge hit a grand slam in the
ninth off Russ Springer.

On Saturday, Davis retired the side in order in the first. He
walked the first two batters in the second then struck out the
last three. But he fell apart in the third when Gonzalez had two
hits, two runs, three RBIs and a stolen base.

He didn't blame the rain delay.

"I had to get ready and then not get ready and then get ready a
couple times," Davis said, "but it came down to I still felt
good when I was out there and I didn't execute."

Gonzalez led off with a single, stole second and took third on
Dustin Pedroia's one-out single. Then Victor Martinez, Youkilis
and David Ortiz hit consecutive RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.

Jason Bay followed with a walk, loading the bases, and Youkilis
scored on a wild pitch. J.D. Drew then was walked intentionally,
reloading the bases, and Gonzalez cleared them with a double.

Dale Thayer replaced Davis and allowed an RBI single by Jacoby
Ellsbury inside the first-base line that gave Beckett an 8-0
cushion.

"You can't give up that many runs in an inning and expect to
beat him," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "He's going to put it
on cruise control."

The rain resumed in the top of the fifth, but play continued as
Tampa Bay scored its only run.

With one out, Akinori Iwamura singled, only the second hit off
Beckett. Dioner Navarro was hit on the foot by a pitch and Jason
Bartlett singled in a run before Carl Crawford flied out to end
the fifth.

"It was a long day," Boston manager Terry Francona said, "but it
was a productive day."

NOTES: Tampa Bay is 12-18 since Aug. 7 after going 52-34 from
April 30 to Aug. 5. ... Martinez extended his hitting streak to
13 games, a stretch in which he is batting .356 (16 for 45). ...
Youkilis went 2 for 2 with a walk and is hitting .400 in his
last 13 games (18 for 45). ... Tampa Bay's Fernando Perez made a
twisting catch in deep center field but struck out in both his
at-bats. ... Boston won its sixth straight home game.