BOSTON (AP) – Josh Beckett and Eric Hinske pushed back at the surging New York Yankees and tightened Boston’s grip on the AL East.

Beckett became the first 19-game winner in the majors and Hinske provided the muscle, bowling over Jorge Posada in a home-plate collision to help the Red Sox rout New York 10-1 Saturday and open 5-game lead with two weeks and a day to play.

Boston lowered its magic number to nine to end New York’s nine-year stranglehold on the division title.

One game after New York rallied from a 7-2 deficit Friday to beat Boston for the fifth straight time, Hinske energized the Red Sox when he knocked over the Yankees catcher in a three-run sixth. Hinske was out, but Jacoby Ellsbury followed with an RBI single and David Ortiz hit a two-run double to make it 5-1 and chase Chien-Ming Wang (18-7).

“Last night was a tough loss for us. You never want to lose momentum in September in a pennant race,” said Hinske, who checked on Posada’s condition before his next at-bat. “I think that might have psyched the team up, because we scored some runs after that.”

Hinske added a solo homer in the eighth as Boston eliminated any hope of another comeback.

For the game, and probably the season.

“Things are looking different right now,” said Ortiz, who went 3-for-3. But he also said: “It’s not over yet. You saw what happened last night. We can’t let those guys catch us sleeping ’cause they can turn things around in a hurry.”

In a tense and physical game that left two players needing X-rays and also featured a couple more hit batters, Beckett (19-6) pitched seven innings of three-hit ball, allowing one run and a walk while striking out seven to win his third straight start. He already has a career-high for victories and could have three more tries to reach 20 wins.

Wang, who had won his previous five starts, allowed five runs, nine hits and three walks in 5 2-3 innings.

Derek Jeter homered in the first for the Yankees, who began the day 3 games ahead of Detroit in the AL wild-card race. Curt Schilling will face Roger Clemens in the series finale on Sunday night.

Boston led 2-1 when Hinske led off the sixth with a double, then Coco Crisp singled him to third. Dustin Pedroia grounded the ball to second, and Robinson Cano came home with it; Posada caught the ball a split second before Hinske barreled him over and held onto it.

Even though he was out, Hinske received a standing ovation from the fans on the first-base side when he returned to the dugout. Torre and the Yankees trainer ran out to check on Posada, who stayed in the game but went to a hospital after it for precautionary reasons.

Ellsbury entered the game as a replacement for Kevin Youkilis, who left with a bruised right wrist after Wang hit him with a pitch. X-rays were negative.