BOSTON (AP) _ Winning has been tough for the Detroit Tigers. Give them three extra innings, however, and they don't lose.

The Tigers are just 5-18 in nine-inning games. But on Tuesday night, they won their second 12-inning game in three days as Wendell Magee's homer gave them a 7-6 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

``If it takes 12 innings to win, then we'll play 12,'' reliever Doug Brocail said.

Detroit won despite an outstanding relief performance by Boston's Tim Wakefield (1-2). His knuckler was fluttering and he was virtually unhittable.

Then Magee came up with one out and the bases empty in the 12th.

``I knew I hit it out right away, especially in this park,'' he said. ``In our park, no, it wouldn't have gone out.''

He reached down for a good pitch _ low and with plenty of movement _ and went to the opposite field as the ball landed in the screen high above the left-field wall.

``You just have to stay back'' and wait for the knuckler, Magee said. ``You know he won't throw his fastball by you.''

Despite his third homer in six hits for Detroit since being traded by Philadelphia on March 10, Magee knows his future might be elsewhere.

``I know I'm playing for all the teams,'' he said. ``The scouts are out there.''

His groundout in the seventh tied the game 6-6. It also drove out Rheal Cormier and brought in Wakefield.

Magee struck out in his next at-bat in the ninth, and Wakefield allowed just two hits in 4 2-3 innings before Magee came to the plate again in the 12th.

``I was very pleased that I lasted as long as I did,'' said Wakefield, who lowered his ERA from 2.60 to 2.38. ``It all comes down to one pitch and, unfortunately, it went out of the park.''

The homer gave the Tigers only their third win in 15 games and broke a six-game losing streak against the Red Sox. It also ensured that scoreless relief by Brocail for three innings, Willie Blair (1-0) for two, and Todd Jones _ who got his fifth save _ for one, didn't go to waste. Boston had just four hits over those last six innings.

Brocail is ``a gamer,'' Detroit acting manager Bob Melvin said. ``He gave us three innings after being out for a while and he wouldn't let me take him out after he twisted his knee.''

Manager Phil Garner and third baseman Dean Palmer served the fifth game of their eight-game suspensions for their roles in a brawl April 22 with the Chicago White Sox. Brocail's four-game suspension ended Monday night.

``It's like caging up a lion,'' Melvin said.

Boston's Brian Rose made his first start in 13 days after being skipped over following four straight rainouts. He gave up four runs in the second, including Juan Gonzalez's fourth homer, but Boston tied the game with four runs in the bottom of the inning.

``My breaking stuff wasn't working well,'' Rose said. ``When I'm throwing that same breaking pitch with good movement, I might get some groundballs.''

Juan Encarnacion's RBI single gave Detroit a 5-4 lead in the sixth, and Troy O'Leary's two-run homer, his fourth, put Boston ahead 6-5 in the bottom of the inning before Magee tied the game.

Then he won it two days after a 4-3 victory over the White Sox in 12 innings.

``For whatever reason, I felt we had a lot of resolve,'' Melvin said. ``I don't know if we have to play for 12 innings all the time.''

Notes: John Wasdin, who relieved Rose, said there was no serious damage to his left kneecap, which was hit by Luis Polonia's single in the fourth, forcing him out of the game. ... Boston's Nomar Garciaparra has 30 hits in his last 72 at-bats (.417). ... Detroit coach Juan Samuel will have his appeal hearing today on his 15-game suspension for his role in the brawl. ... Reliever Jim Poole is appealing his $500 fine for the brawl.