Red Sox bail out Beckett

But while sheets of rain pounded Fenway Park and the flag threatened to blow off the pole in center field, Varitek provided the final, most essential piece of the play that, more than any other, the worn players in the Red Sox clubhouse believed, allowed for their 6-5 victory last night over the Toronto Blue Jays. The win redeemed 4 1/2 hours of baseball, and it catapulted them back to 2 1/2 games atop the American League wild-card race.

By the seventh inning, when the intermittent rain turned serious, the Red Sox’ offense, led by Jason Bay’s two-run homer, had bailed out Beckett. Daniel Bard touched 100 miles per hour in a dominant sixth inning, but he found trouble in the seventh. He became the second Sox pitcher to be bailed out.

With one out and Snider on first, John McDonald roped a Bard fastball into the left-field corner. Bay raced toward the line, disappearing from view for many fans. He hurled the ball toward the infield as the runners raced around the bases.

While Gonzalez waited in shallow left, he glanced at Toronto’s third base coach, who was waving home Snider. He knew he had to make a play, and he had scant time. “There was going to be a play at the plate,’’ he said later.

Snider was about one-third of the way home when Gonzalez received the throw in shallow left. He transferred the ball from his glove to his bare hand as if using a magician’s sleight of hand.

Snider had started his slide before Varitek caught the ball. He did not know if Snider would barrel into him or slide.

“You expect the worst,’’ Varitek said, “and you retract from that.’’

Gonzalez’s accurate throw allowed Varitek to keep his leg planted in front of the plate. “I felt like my foot was down solid,’’ Varitek said.

His leg repelled Snider like a rag doll, and the umpire did not make his call until Varitek tagged Snider on the chest.

Bard pumped his fist and, before he started walking back to the mound, thanked Varitek.