Boston Red Sox’s Adrian Gonzalez follows through on a solo home run off a pitch from Texas Rangers starting pitcher Alexi Ogando as Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba and home plate umpire Kerwin Danley, rear, look on during Thursday’s win for the Red Sox. (Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press)

Red Sox 6, Rangers 0

ARLINGTON — Adrian Gonzalez homered twice to give him five in four games, Andrew Miller pitched three-hit ball in a spot start and the Boston Red Sox won their third straight over the Texas Rangers with a 6-0 victory Thursday night.

Gonzalez hit a solo shot in the first inning and a two-run drive in the third off Alexi Ogando (12-6), giving him homers on three consecutive swings — including one in the eighth inning of Boston’s 13-2 victory Wednesday night.

Gonzalez, who had his 13th career multi-homer game, had gone 84 at-bats without a long ball before homering in the first inning of Tuesday night’s 11-5 win. The Red Sox took the final three games in a four-game series between AL division leaders.

Tigers 2, Rays 0

ST. PETERSBURG — Doug Fister allowed five hits over seven scoreless innings, Austin Jackson homered and the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 Thursday.

Fister (6-13) struck out five. The right-hander, acquired in a six-player trade with Seattle on July 30, is 3-1 in five starts with the Tigers.

Jackson hit a first-inning leadoff homer and made it 2-0 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

The Tigers took three of four from Tampa Bay and have won 16 of their last 25 road games.

Jeremy Hellickson (11-9) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings. He had seven strikeouts and one walk.

Orioles 6, Twins 1

MINNEAPOLIS — Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer and Jo Jo Reyes went six strong innings to lead the Orioles to a 6-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday for Baltimore’s first four-game winning streak since early June.

Reyes (7-10) allowed one run on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Craig Tatum added a two-run double for the AL-worst Orioles, who haven’t had a winning streak this long since June 6-10.

Anthony Swarzak (3-4) gave up five runs on eight hits in 3 1-3 innings after left-hander Francisco Liriano left with a strained shoulder after two innings.

Joe Mauer also missed his second straight game for the injury-ravaged Twins, with a stiff neck keeping him out.

Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez was suspended three games, and manager Buck Showalter was suspended one game as part of the punishment handed out Thursday by Major League Baseball. Gregg and Gonzalez have decided to appeal, delaying the suspensions; Ortiz also reportedly plans to appeal, allowing him to play this weekend against the Tampa Bay Rays.

“I’ll let the process go out,” said Gregg, who did not reveal the amount of his fine except to say it was “steep.” “The four-game is a pretty hefty suspension. I get the right to meet in New York with some people, tell them how it went down, what happened, get to say my side of the story.”

The Red Sox did not play on Thursday, and manager Terry Francona said Ortiz was excused from the team’s workout in St. Petersburg, Fla., to give him an extra day to recover from the All-Star game.

“I know now David has to kind of figure out what he wants to do,” Francona said.

Showalter sat out Thursday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians. He was replaced by bench coach John Russell.

Gonzalez said he was fined $1,500. Also fined undisclosed amounts in connection with the three-day skirmish: Orioles pitcher Jim Johnson, Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Boston pitcher John Lackey.

The skirmish started when Gregg threw two inside pitches to Ortiz. The Red Sox designated hitter started toward the mound after the second, and players from both benches and bullpens trotted onto the field, but nothing further developed.

Gregg then got Ortiz to pop out and shouted something to the Boston slugger, who charged and met Gregg about halfway between the mound and first base line. Umpire Mike Estabrook ejected Gregg, Ortiz and Saltalamacchia.

Gregg said he was merely protecting himself and questioned the decision to suspend him for the same number of games as Ortiz.

“He actually came out at me twice,” Gregg said. “I defended myself. To get the same time, suspension, I don’t agree with it. That’s why I am appealing it.”

Ortiz apologized the next day, but in the series finale on July 10 Gonzalez threw a pitch behind Ortiz. Gonzalez and Showalter immediately were ejected. In its statement, MLB said Gonzalez intentionally threw at Ortiz after both sides had been warned.

The teams play again next week in Baltimore.

The Red Sox are coming out of the All-Star game with encouraging reports on pitcher Josh Beckett and outfielder Carl Crawford.

Crawford is set to return from a strained left hamstring on Monday, Francona said Thursday. Crawford will begin a two-game minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket tonight.

“He’ll travel on Sunday to Baltimore and barring any setbacks” rejoin the Red Sox when they open a three-game series against the Orioles, Francona said.

Beckett was scratched from the All-Star game after feeling soreness in his left knee while warming up in the bullpen. The right-hander remains scheduled to start Sunday’s game at Tampa Bay.

BOSTON — Red Sox slugger David Ortiz and Baltimore pitcher Kevin Gregg were suspended four games and fined on Thursday for their parts in a July 8 bench-clearing brawl.

Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez was suspended three games, and manager Buck Showalter was suspended one game as part of the punishment handed out Thursday by Major League Baseball. Gregg and Gonzalez have decided to appeal, delaying the suspensions; Ortiz was not immediately available for comment.

“I’ll let the process go out,” said Gregg, who did not reveal the amount of his fine except to say it was “steep.” “The four-game is a pretty hefty suspension. I get the right to meet in New York with some people, tell them how it went down, what happened, get to say my side of the story.”

The Red Sox did not play on Thursday, and manager Terry Francona said Ortiz was excused from the team’s workout in St. Petersburg, Fla., to give him an extra day to recover from the All-Star game.

“I know now David has to kind of figure out what he wants to do,” Francona said.

Showalter was to sit out Thursday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians. He was replaced by bench coach John Russell.

“Managers don’t really have any rights to appeal,” Showalter said, adding that he hoped his players’ punishment would be reduced on appeal. “I think we’ve seen in the past what’s initially handed down and what initially gets served are two different things in a lot of cases. So we’ll let the process play out.”

Gonzalez said he was fined $1,500. Also fined undisclosed amounts in connection with the three-day skirmish: Orioles pitcher Jim Johnson, Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Boston pitcher John Lackey.

The skirmish started when Gregg threw two inside pitches to Ortiz. The Red Sox designated hitter started toward the mound after the second, and players from both benches and bullpens trotted onto the field, but nothing further developed.

Gregg then got Ortiz to pop out and shouted something to the Boston slugger, who charged and met Gregg about halfway between the mound and first base line. Umpire Mike Estabrook ejected Gregg, Ortiz and Saltalamacchia.

Gregg said he was merely protecting himself and questioned the decision to suspend him for the same number of games as Ortiz.

“He actually came out at me twice,” Gregg said. “I defended myself. To get the same time, suspension, I don’t agree with it. That’s why I am appealing it.”

Ortiz apologized the next day, but in the series finale on July 10 Gonzalez threw a pitch behind Ortiz. Gonzalez and Showalter immediately were ejected. In its statement, MLB said Gonzalez intentionally threw at Ortiz after both sides had been warned.

“I definitely think they need to go back and do their homework,” Gonzalez said. “I think they need to go back and go through the whole series as opposed to just going through one game and seeing how everything fell into place.”

The teams play again next week in Baltimore.

“We’ve got to concentrate on playing baseball,” Red Sox catcher Jason Varitek said. “Those things tend to linger on externally more than internally. Both teams will go out and play some baseball games.”

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AP Sports Writer David Ginsburg in Baltimore and freelancer Mark Didtler in St. Petersburg, Fla., contributed to this report.

NEW YORK – Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona said he “fully expects” second baseman Dustin Pedroia to return to the lineup Friday night, but a medical examination will first determine if that is safe.

“I think he’ll play tomorrow. I’ll be surprised if it’s anything different, but we want to be sure,” Francona said Thursday after Pedroia had taken a train back to Boston.

The infielder missed the final game of the Red Sox-Yankees series to have his right knee examined by doctor Thomas Gill.Francona said the knee has been bothering Pedroia since last year, although it became a secondary concern after Pedroia broke his foot.

The fact Pedroia missed such an important game suggested there was urgency to the situation. An initial report in the Boston Globe said surgery was possible.

Francona downplayed that aspect, saying Pedroia left Thursday simply because he had voiced concern about the knee and the team did not want to wait.

“He didn’t want to do this. We kind of made him,” said Francona, who said a “minimally invasive” procedure would be used to examine the knee.

Jed Lowrie returned to the lineup at shortstop. His left shoulder, injured in a collision at Detroit on May 29, is somewhat is mproved.

That allowed the Red Sox to move Marco Scutaro to second base Thursday. Scutaro had been at shortstop, but he has extensive experience at second, and finished the 2010 season there for Boston.

While surgery has been mentioned in media reportsas a possibility for Pedroia, Francona said the tests were mostly to reassure the player and team he could keep playing without undue risk.

“I fully expect Dustin to be batting second for us Friday in Toronto,” Francona said.

Pedroia’s scrappy, diving style and the demands of his position put constant stress and pounding on the knee. Francona said there was “a cartilage issue” with Pedroia’s knee, but that many other players also deal with cartilage issues and keep playing.

Francona said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia is available in a pinch Thursday, after spending Wednesday night in a hospital with stomach illness.

The Red Sox will carry three catchers, incluidng Triple A callup Luis Exposito, until it is certain that Saltalamacchia can handle his normal workload.

Left-handed reliever Franklin Morales, who is out with a forearm strain, will make a rehab appearance for Pawtucket Friday night. He will make another on Sunday if the first outing goes smoothly, and the Red Sox will then reevaluate his condition.

BOSTON – An early June series against the Oakland Athletics might not seem crucial, but this weekend’s games carry plenty of meaning for the Boston Red Sox.

They could use it to regain the momentum lost earlier in the week, and as a springboard to next week’s series against the Yankees in New York.

The A’s come to Fenway Park with their own agenda. They are 27-30 and last in the American League West, but entered Thursday night only 3 1/2 games out of first.

The West is either very balanced or very mediocre, or perhaps both. That makes the A’s, who rely heavily on good young pitching, a contending team.

The Red Sox (30-26) fell two games behind the Yankees in the East this week. While New York was sweeping the A’s in Oakland, Boston was getting the broom treatment at home.

They lost three straight to the White Sox. Some players indicated that Sunday’s day-night doubleheader in Detroit, which capped a seven-game road trip and was interrupted by rain delays, explained their worn-out look against Chicago.

Looking nothing like the team that had scored 14 runs in consecutive games last week, the Red Sox welcomed Thursday’s off day. The weekend series will mark the return of John Lackey, who went on the disabled list a month ago for an elbow strain.

Lackey is 2-5 with an 8.01 ERA. Looking to improve on last year’s disappointing first season in Boston. he has instead been much worse.

His return gives him a chance to restart his season, against a former AL West opponent this former Los Angeles Angels’ ace has dominated with a 17-6 career record.

More immediate is the status of reliever Rich Hill, who left Wednesday’s game after seven pitches with an elbow injury.

The Red Sox were initially hopeful Hill’s injury was minor. Multiple media reports Thursday indicated surgery was very possible and that Hill was considering it.

That would mean the end of Hill’s season. The injury, which was originally announced as a forearm problem, presents the Sox with decisions they must face now.

Hill is the only left-hander in the bullpen. Losing him would be especially unfortunate, given how he has overcame several obstacle establish his place in the pen.

He arrived in September and pitched well in a cameo role. This spring, he was by far the statistically best left-hander in camp, but was bypassed for Dennys Reyes and then Hideki Okajima.

The Red Sox liked Reyes’ veteran experience, and were certainly familiar with what Okajima can offer when he’s sharp. Hill was also perfecting a new sidearm motion.

The Sox wanted time for that to develop. They also wanted assurance that Hill, who began his career as a starter, could retire right-handers as well as lefties.

The biggest obstacle was that Hill was out of minor league options. He overcame all of those blockades to become a crucial element to the Red Sox bullpen.

In 12 innings as a Red Sox pitcher, he has yet to give up a run. His 15-game scoreless streak to start his Boston tenure is a club record.

The Red Sox could call back Okajima, who is back in Pawtucket after being designated for assignment on May 19..

Okajima was the Pawsox’ winning pitcher Tuesday. That was the night of Lackey’s strong rehab start as well.

Felix Doubront is a less likely option. He got a look in relief in Boston, but all five of his outings in Pawtucket have been starts, a total of 17 innings.

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Let the world debate whether Tim Wakefield’s spot on the Boston Red Sox roster is in doubt.

The 44-year-old knuckleballer treated the question as out of hand Thursday after pitching five innings in a Triple A minor league game.

“I don’t think I need to answer that,” Wakefield said when asked if anyone from the organization had told him he was safe.

But somebody does, either now or when the roster is finalized. Until the Red Sox declare Wakefield is one of the chosen 25, speculation will continue that he’s on the bubble with one year left on his contract.

Last Friday, manager Terry Francona would not commit a roster spot to Wakefield, though obviously, he also did not rule him out.

If Wakefield is safe, it’s not because of his recent results. He allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits in five innings against Minnesota Twins prospects at the Sox minor league complex.

Five runs came in the fifth, when a botched double play contributed to the big inning.

He gave up a home run. He also walked a man in his stint, hit another and did not record a strikeout.

Last Friday, Wakefield allowed four home runs, two doubles and six runs in three innings against Tampa Bay.

Four pitchers are considered locks for the seven-man bullpen – Jonathan Papelbon, Daniel Bard, Bobby Jenks and Dan Wheeler. Unless Wakefield is as safe as he seems to feel, he’s in a battle with righties Alfredo Aceves and Matt Albers, along with lefties Rich, Hill, Hideki Okajima and Dennys Reyes.

One of the aforementioned three left-handers would make it, locking up a fifth spot. The Red Sox might keep a second left-hander as well.

Okajima has been considered a favorite for the first lefty spot, but he said Thursday he is fighting for a job.

If two lefties are kept, only one spot would remain open for either Wakefield, Aceves or Albers Righy Scott Atchison was one of seven Red Sox pitchers to throw in minor league games Thursday, but he has minor league options and has struggled of late, so he may be on the Pawtucket side of the equation.

In Wakefield’s eyes, he accomplished his goals in Thursday’s 78-pitch, 52-strike outing.

“I got up and down five times and got my pitch count up. It’s different pitching down here (at the complex), there’s not a lot of adrenaline, but I take it seriously and you’ve got to get your work in,” he said.

Wakefield mixes in a fastball and curve with his knuckler, but used only his primary pitch in this workout.

Wakefield said the Red Sox have not told him when he will pitch next. After 16 seasons with Boston, he says he is ready for the season in whatever capacity they need, be in starting, long or short relief.

If he does make the team, it will be in the bullpen. That remains a question of great debate, to all but one man.