With first place on the line, the Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox stuck to playing and the Rays emerged ast the no. 1 team as of July 1.

James Shields made five hits over 6 1/3 innings and B.J. Upton and Gabe Gross hit homeruns, helping the Rays remain unbeaten at home against the Red Sox with a 5-4 victory that hiked their lead to 1½ games in the division.

The New York Yankees, however, are at third, with a three-game losing streak.

Who will emerge no. 1 in the American League East at the end of the season?

Florida rocks!

Han Steinbrenner, NY Yankee's co-chairman:

"We've got to start hitting."

"They've got to start waking up."

Wohoo! NY won against the Rangers, finally waking up from their losing spell WOHOO! Three hundred bucks for me.

It will get the Red Sox. NY has a slim chance this year. But I'm behind them.