BOSTON -- Members of Red Sox nation were awakening Thursday to the grim reality that their team has almost lost its grip on the American League East with only nine games left in the regular season.

The Red Sox lost again Wednesday night 6-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays in a stunning sweep that now has the Sox only 1 1/2-games ahead of the New York Yankees after enjoying a comfortable double-digit lead for most of the season.

NewsCenter 5's Steve Lacy reported that while the Red Sox were getting swept in Canada, dropping their fourth straight game, the Yankees were in the Bronx, taking care of business and edging the Baltimore Orioles 2-1. The Yankees have won four straight and 12 of 14.

"We spent an early portion of this year trying to find our way," Torre said, "and now that when we come to the ballpark we expect to win, it's a nice feeling."

The Yankees (88-64), a season-high 24 games over .500, also opened a 5 1/2-game lead over Detroit (83-70) for the wild card.

Torre said he heard the crowd roar in the ninth when the scoreboard showed the Red Sox were losing at Toronto, and Pettitte acknowledged checking on the Boston game.

It's the closest New York has been to first place since the Yankees trailed by one game before play on April 20. They began play on May 30 down by 14 1/2 games to Boston.

"Four months ago, nobody gave us credit. And now we're close to winning the division," pitcher Mariano Rivera said.

The Red Sox have lost four in a row and five of six, and the next few games will be telling for the team.

Sox infielder Eric Hinske told the Boston Herald, "We know where the Yankees are. We're not trying to lose. We're just trying to get too crazy about it."

"From now on, you're going to see who is who," shortstop Julio Lugo said.

"We've got to fight through," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "How good of a team you end up being is how you handle adversity. We'll handle it. It's not a lot of fun to lose, it can get frustrating, but how you handle that frustration goes a long way towards how you end up doing."

The last time Boston's lead was so slim was April 25, when the Blue Jays were in second place. Boston's biggest lead was 12 games on July 5.

The Red Sox are off Thursday before opening a three-game series at Tampa Bay on Friday night.

"It'll be good for us," Francona said of the day off. "Part of me wants to play tomorrow because you want to get back on track, but we'll take the day off and regroup, get some guys some much-needed rest and some other guys some medical attention."

David Ortiz, who is suffering from a sore knee and may not play Friday, went 0-for-3 with a walk and is 1-for-14 with seven strikeouts in his past four games.

"We faced some good pitching the last few days," Ortiz said. "They pitched good and didn't give up."

Making his first start since pitching a no-hitter against Baltimore on Sept. 1, Buchholz held Toronto hitless until Frank Thomas singled with two outs in the fourth inning.

Buchholz (3-1) made a throwing error in the fifth that put Toronto ahead, and wound up with his first major league loss.

The Blue Jays loaded the bases against Mike Timlin in the eighth, and Papelbon then gave up Adams' slam.

"We had a handle on that game until I came in," Timlin said. "We had a shot and I blew it."