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About the only excitement in last night’s Red Sox win over the A’s was Jonathan Papelbon striking out the side in the ninth for this 21st save.

Other than that, the 5-2 victory was a ho-hum affair. Josh Beckett was not particularly sharp, but he still managed to hold Oakland to two runs in 6 2/3 innings. After Okland’s Scott Hairston touched up Beckett for a solo shot in the top of the first, Jason Bay hit his 20th homerun, and first since June 23rd, to tie the game in the bottom of the second. Later, Jason Variteck contributed a two-out, two-run single in the 3rd that gave the Sox a 4-1 lead.

Oakland’s starter, Dana Eveland, threw 71 pitches and gave up four runs in 2 2/3 innings, but the Sox left several men on base which prevented them from busting the game open. The A’s bullpen held Boston to just three hits and one run over the final 5 and 1/3 innings.

Notes

Josh Beckett joined Tim Wakefield and three others atop the AL with 10 wins … Rookie 1B Aaron Bates went 0-3 with two strikeouts, and is 0-6 in two games … Beckett is now 5-0 in eight starts at Fenway.

Tags: House, Jason Bay, Jason Varitek, Jonathan Papelbon, Josh Beckett, Oakland Athletics, Red Sox