Rays’ Loss to Blue Jays Drops Them 2 1/2 Games Behind Red Sox, Boston’s Magic Number Now Four

Red Sox manager Terry Francona has always had nothing but good things to say about friend and former pitching coach John Farrell. With the way Farrell's Blue Jays are playing the last couple of nights, it's safe to say Francona likes his buddy even more.

One night after the Jays knocked off the Angels in Toronto, Brandon Morrow and the Blue Jays beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1.

With the Blue Jays winning, the Rays fall to 2 1/2 games behind Boston in the wild card race. The Tampa loss also lowers the Red Sox' magic number to four meaning that any combination of four Sox wins or Rays losses mean Boston will get the wild card.

The Red Sox were idle on Friday night after their game with the Yankees was rained out in the Bronx.

The Angels fell victim to the Blue Jays on Thursday night in Toronto when Edwin Encarnacion's walk-off home run dealt Mike Scioscia's bunch a crushing blow. The Halos opened a three-game series with the A's on the West Coast late Friday night three games behind the Sox in the wild card standings.