Before the season began, one question with the Boston Red Sox involved where -or if – Tim Wakefield would fit in.

To the analysts, he looked like a man without a role, but the 44-year-old veteran knew better, and he was right.

Two months into his 17th season with Boston, Wakefield’s role is not much different than it has always been. Having opened the season in the bullpen, ultimate pitching handyman is now in the rotation, where his biggest start of the season comes on Wednesday night in New York.

The Red Sox expected to send Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Josh Beckett to the mound for their three-game series against the Yankees. An ailing back has pushed Buchholz back two days, and Wakefield will face A.J. Bunnett in the middle game of the series.

The unsettled nature of Boston’s rotation makes Wakefield’s presence useful and significant. Daisuke Matsuzaka is done for the year with elbow problems, John Lackey returned from elbow woes Sunday and Buchholz is delayed until Friday’s series opener at Toronto.

In Wakefield, they have an experienced hand to handle a pressure situation He is 2-1 with a 4.25 ERA in five starts this season.

In the last 10 years, he is 7-13 with a 4.58 ERA against the Yankees.

In theory, Wakefield is jockeying for position with Alfredo Aceves for the No. 5 rotation spot. In reality, his longstanding reputation and past success likely gives him the edge over Aceves, who showed what long relief is all about on Saturday.

In Boston’s 14-inning win over Oakland, Aceves got the win with four innings of three-hit, one-run ball. He held the A’s off the scoreboard for his last three innings.

Aceves was brought to Boston with the idea of long relief and the option of being a starter. As long as Wakefield is competitive in the No. 5 rotation spot, it’s hard to see Aceves replacing him in the rotation.

Manager Terry Francona has spoken of possibly giving each pitcher spot starts, depending on the opponent, but that is a decision for the future.

Before Wakefield takes the mound, the Red Sox will see if an eight-day break helps Lester’s performance. The left-hander has had only one really strong start in his last five.

Francona said Lester has been relying too much on his cutter. The pitcher said that was only because he had lost command of his other pitches.

There has been no such concern about Beckett, whose ERA crept over 2.00 for the first time in a month.

His 2.01 ERA leads the American League and makes Thursday’s game a prime-time matchup against CC Sabathia ((7-3, 2.80), who has already lost twice to Beckett this year.

In two starts against the Yankees, Beckett has yet to allow a run in 14 innings. In those games, Beckett has allowed six hits with 19 strikeouts.

Beckett has been a big reason for Boston’s 5-1 edge over the Yankees this season. They swept a three-game series at Yankee Stadium in May, their first such sweep in New York in 25 years.

David Ortiz was named American League player of the week for the May 30-June 5 period. Ortiz went 12-for-22 with four doubles, two home runs, six RBIs and five runs.

He is the third Red Sox player in four weeks to win the honor, following Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford.

Despite their head-to-head success against New York, the Red Sox enter the series with one-game deficit against the Yankees in the American League East.

Activating Lackey caused the Red Sox to sent outfielder Josh Reddick to Pawtucket. That created a 13-man pitching staff, one higher than the norm, but they may keep all those arms for an opponent known to wear out pitching staffs.

BOSTON – Nothing like the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox to take the shine off a four-game winning streak.

Just ask the Oakland Athletics.

The A’s had a four-game winning streak when the Yankees visited last week. After being swept at home, Oakland limped to Boston and were swept again in a three-game series, finishing with a 6-3 loss Sunday.

“We ran into a couple of good teams and they beat us up pretty good,” second baseman Mark Ellis said. “I feel like we can compete. We just need to find a way to do it.”

Oakland starter Brett Anderson (3-6) struggled for the second straight game, allowing five runs and nine hits in five innings. He gave up nine earned runs over 5 1-3 innings in his previous start, a 10-3 loss to New York on Tuesday.

“Today was pretty much terrible. It’s pretty much as bad a job as I can do,” Anderson said. “It was really frustrating. You want to go as deep as you can to give your guys some rest. Obviously, I didn’t do that.”

The Red Sox got off to a fast start behind Carl Crawford, who hit his fifth homer after David Ortiz and Jed Lowrie started the second inning with consecutive singles.

Kevin Kouzmanoff led off the third with his fourth homer and Daric Barton added a run-scoring single in the fourth, but Boston responded in the bottom half.

Adrian Gonzalez’s drive into the Green Monster seats above left field made it 5-2 and gave him 50 RBIs just 59 games into the season. It was the second homer in as many games for the big first baseman, who has 12 for the season after hitting just one in his first month with the Red Sox.

“He just hasn’t been as crisp and sharp with his pitches,” Athletics manager Bob Geren said of Anderson.

John Lackey pitched into the sixth inning in his first start in nearly a month for Boston, who swept the A’s to salvage a split of a six-game homestand that started with three losses to the White Sox.

Lackey (3-5), who was coming off a stint on the disabled list with a strained elbow, gave up three runs and three hits. In his first start since May 11, he struck out two, walked two and hit three batters.

Oakland’s Fautino De Los Santos, who struck out the only batter he faced in his major league debut on Saturday, had a more difficult time in his second appearance. Jacoby Ellsbury singled off De Los Santos with one out in the sixth, then advanced on two wild pitches and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s single to left.

That put Boston up 6-3 and the bullpen held it, something it failed to do the day before when the Red Sox blew a 7-3 lead in the ninth and needed 14 innings to win.

Matt Albers, Tommy Hottovy and Dan Wheeler combined for 2 1-3 innings of two-hit ball before Daniel Bard worked the ninth for his first save of the season — one day after regular closer Jonathan Papelbon blew a save opportunity and was ejected in the ninth inning of Boston’s 9-8 victory.

Boston now heads to New York for a three-game series with the first-place Yankees starting Tuesday. The Athletics’ road trip continues against the Orioles — the last team they beat.

“We just gotta get it going tomorrow,” Geren said. “Can’t look back.”

NOTES: Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before the game that Clay Buchholz has been pushed back in the rotation in order to give his back some more rest. Tim Wakefield with take Buchholz’s spot on Wednesday against the Yankees and Buchholz will start Friday at Toronto. … Geren gave slumping DH Hideki Matsui the day off. Matsui broke a career-worst 0-for-19 slump with an 11th-inning single Saturday. … The Red Sox last swept the A’s in August 2008.

BOSTON — Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to reach 50 RBIs for the season and Carl Crawford had a three-run shot, powering John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

John Lackey pitched into the sixth inning in his first start in nearly a month as Boston swept the A’s to salvage a split of a six-game homestand that started with three losses to the White Sox.

Matt Albers, Tommy Hottovy and Dan Wheeler combined for 2 1-3 innings of two-hit ball before Daniel Bard worked the ninth for his first save of the season — one day after regular closer Jonathan Papelbon blew a save opportunity and was ejected in the ninth inning of Boston’s 9-8 victory.

Kevin Kouzmanoff homered for the Athletics, who have lost six straight. Brett Anderson (3-6) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.

Lackey (3-5), who was coming off a stint on the disabled list with a strained elbow, gave up three runs and three hits. He struck out two, walked two and hit three batters.

Boston now heads to New York for a three-game series with the first-place Yankees starting Tuesday.

The Red Sox got off to a fast start Sunday behind Crawford, who hit his fifth homer after David Ortiz and Jed Lowrie started the second inning with consecutive singles.

Kouzmanoff led off the third with his fourth homer and Daric Barton added a run-scoring single in the fourth, but Boston responded in the bottom half.

Gonzalez’s drive into the Green Monster seats above left field made it 5-2 and gave him 50 RBIs just 59 games into the season. It was the second homer in as many games for the big first baseman, who has 12 for the season after hitting just one in his first month with the Red Sox.

Lackey had some control problems in his first start since May 11. His last hit batter was Conor Jackson, who stole second and scored when Barton doubled off Albers to get Oakland within two in the sixth.

Fautino De Los Santos, who struck out the only batter he faced in his major league debut on Saturday, had a more difficult time in his second appearance. Jacoby Ellsbury singled off De Los Santos with one out in the sixth, then advanced on two wild pitches and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s single to left.

That put Boston up 6-3 and the bullpen held it, something it failed to do the day before when the Red Sox blew a 7-3 lead in the ninth and needed 14 innings to win.

NOTES: Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before the game that Clay Buchholz has been pushed back in the rotation in order to give his back some more rest. Tim Wakefield with take Buchholz’s spot on Wednesday against the Yankees and Buchholz will start Friday at Toronto. … Oakland manager Bob Geren gave slumping DH Hideki Matsui the day off. Matsui broke a career-worst 0-for-19 slump with an 11th-inning single Saturday. … The Red Sox last swept the A’s in August 2008.

BOSTON – Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer to reach 50 RBIs for the season and Carl Crawford had a three-run shot, powering John Lackey and the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday.

John Lackey pitched into the sixth inning in his first start in nearly a month as Boston swept the A’s to salvage a split of a six-game homestand that started with three losses to the White Sox.

Matt Albers, Tommy Hottovy and Dan Wheeler combined for 2 1-3 innings of two-hit ball before Daniel Bard worked the ninth for his first save of the season – one day after regular closer Jonathan Papelbon blew a save opportunity and was ejected in the ninth inning of Boston’s 9-8 victory.

Kevin Kouzmanoff homered for the Athletics, who have lost six straight. Brett Anderson (3-6) allowed five runs and nine hits in five innings.

Lackey (3-5), who was coming off a stint on the disabled list with a strained elbow, gave up three runs and three hits. He struck out two, walked two and hit three batters.

Boston now heads to New York for a three-game series with the first-place Yankees starting Tuesday.

The Red Sox got off to a fast start Sunday behind Crawford, who hit his fifth homer after David Ortiz and Jed Lowrie started the second inning with consecutive singles.

Kouzmanoff led off the third with his fourth homer and Daric Barton added a run-scoring single in the fourth, but Boston responded in the bottom half.

Gonzalez’s drive into the Green Monster seats above left field made it 5-2 and gave him 50 RBIs just 59 games into the season. It was the second homer in as many games for the big first baseman, who has 12 for the season after hitting just one in his first month with the Red Sox.

Lackey had some control problems in his first start since May 11. His last hit batter was Conor Jackson, who stole second and scored when Barton doubled off Albers to get Oakland within two in the fifth.

Fautino De Los Santos, who struck out the only batter he faced in his major league debut on Saturday, had a more difficult time in his second appearance. Jacoby Ellsbury singled off De Los Santos with one out in the sixth, then advanced on two wild pitches and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s single to left.

That put Boston up 6-3 and the bullpen held it, something it failed to do the day before when the Red Sox blew a 7-3 lead in the ninth and needed 14 innings to win.

NOTES: Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before the game that Clay Buchholz has been pushed back in the rotation in order to give his back some more rest. Tim Wakefield with take Buchholz’s spot on Wednesday against the Yankees and Buchholz will start Friday at Toronto. … Oakland manager Bob Geren gave slumping DH Hideki Matsui the day off. Matsui broke a career-worst 0-for-19 slump with an 11th-inning single Saturday. … The Red Sox last swept the A’s in August 2008.

 

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Red Sox end four game skid

BOSTON (AP) – Carl Crawford blooped a go-ahead, two-run single to center field in the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox ended a four-game losing streak with an 8-6 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.

Boston rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the first and were trailing 6-5 when lefty Brian Fuentes came in to face lefty Crawford, who came through with a broken-bat hit just beyond second base.

Joey Devine (0-1) loaded the bases in the seventh on a double by Adrian Gonzalez and then he hit Kevin Youkilis and walked David Ortiz.

Bobby Jenks (2-2) got the win and Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 11th save in 12 opportunities.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia added a solo homer, his fifth of the year, for the Red Sox in the eighth.

The Red Sox ended their longest losing streak since they began the season 0-6. The A’s dropped their fourth straight after winning four in a row.

Before his hit, Crawford was batting just .103 (7 for 68) against lefties this season. And of his 21 RBIs before Friday, only six were at Fenway Park although two came from walkoff hits.

The A’s ripped Clay Buchholz for four runs and five hits in the first, but the Red Sox came back to take a 5-4 lead after the third. Oakland tied it with a run in the fourth before taking a 6-5 lead on Daric Barton’s RBI single in the fifth.

David DeJesus started the first-inning rally with a single, took second on a single by Josh Willingham and scored when Hideki Matsui grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Then Buchholz have up three straight hits – a single by Kurt Suzuki that sent Matsui to second, an RBI single by Barton and a two-run single by Mark Ellis.

The Red Sox began chipping away at the 4-0 lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Jacoby Ellsbury led off with a single, took second on his 20th stolen base of the season and third on a wild pitch then scored on Gonzalez’s groundout. Youkilis followed with a double and scored on Ortiz’s single.

Ellsbury’s sacrifice fly made it 4-3 in the second and Boston took the lead in the third when Ortiz doubled in one run and Jed Lowrie singled in another off starter Josh Outman. After retiring the next batter, Outman was replaced by Guillermo Moscoso, who pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings.

Oakland tied the score at 5 when Kevin Kouzmanoff singled, took second on a wild pickoff throw by Buchholz and third on a wild pitch before scoring on Coco Crisp’s groundout.

Buchholz kept struggling in the fifth. Willingham led off with a double, moved up on a flyout by Matsui and scored on a single by Barton that drove Buchholz from the game.

Notes: The Red Sox transferred RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka from the 15- to the 60-day DL and placed LHP Rich Hill on the 15-day DL. Both are likely to have major surgery on their pitching elbows. … The Athletics placed RHP Grant Balfour on paternity leave and recalled RHP Fautino De Los Santos from Triple-A Sacramento. … In his other appearance this season against Oakland, Buchholz allowed one run in 5 1-3 innings in a 5-3 win on April 20. … Tommy Hottovy, a 2004 draft choice by Boston, made his major league debut, retiring the only batter he faced to end the sixth. … Fuentes was 0-4 with two saves in his previous seven appearances.

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