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A's continue dominance of Red Sox

Jun 7, 2007 - 6:00 AM OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- The Oakland Athletics continue to dominate the Boston Red Sox.

Bobby Crosby and Jack Cust combined for three RBI and Joe Kennedy pitched seven stellar innings as the A's won their third straight against the Red Sox, 3-2, on Wednesday.

Oakland has won a season-high five consecutive games and is four games over .500 for the first time this season. The A's have won eight of their last nine against Boston.

"It's fun," said Crosby of playing Boston. "They have their fans who travel with them, and you hear the Red Sox fans and the Oakland fans behind you. It's as close to a playoff atmosphere as you can get. People are into every pitch, so that makes it that much more special."

After dropping the first three of the four-game set, the Red Sox have lost a season-high four consecutive games and six of their last seven. It is the longest losing streak for Boston since a six-game stretch in August 2006.

The Red Sox have dropped seven straight contests in Oakland, which is their longest losing streak in the Coliseum since an eight-game skid from July 4, 1987 to August 31, 1988.

"There are no excuses, we just aren't playing well," Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis said. "We haven't hit well. West Coast, East Coast, you have to hit better, and play better. That's all there is to it."

Kennedy (2-4), who suffered the loss in his last start despite allowing just one run against Minnesota, was effective once again, yielding just two runs after scattering seven hits in seven innings.

"Pretty much everything was working for me," Kennedy said. "I was able to throw my curveball over for strikes, and I got a lot of first-pitch strikes, which really helped. I was able to keep the leadoff hitter off base until the seventh inning, which really helps. Anytime you do that, you're going to have a good outing."

"It's surprising that he has only two wins considering how well he's pitched," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "He did a good job again tonight. It was a much deserved win for him. He pitched great."

Oakland opened the scoring with one out in the fourth inning when Eric Chavez's hard ground ball ricocheted off the first base bag and caromed into right field for a double. After Dan Johnson grounded out to second and Shannon Stewart walked, Cust belted an RBI double down the right field line for a 1-0 edge.

Crosby followed by lining a single to left, plating Stewart and Cust for a 3-0 cushion.

"The main thing is that I think our pitchers are doing a good job holding their offense," Crosby said. "They have good pitching and guys that can swing he bat. If you can hold their offense to a few runs, then we can scratch a couple of across. That's exactly what we've been able to do."

Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield (5-7), who allowed a season-high eight runs in his last start against the Yankees on Friday, fared much better against Oakland, yielding three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings while striking out a season-high eight batters.

"I felt that I pitched great until the fourth inning," Wakefield said. "One bad pitch. was ahead in the count to Crosby and I tried to bury a knuckleball, and it just stayed up in the zone. He was able to take advantage of it."

The righthander entered with a 9-4 lifetime record against Oakland and had not suffered a loss to the A's since August 6, 2002, in Boston.

Boston answered back in the seventh when Manny Ramirez led off the inning with a double to left and Youkilis belted an RBI triple to right. After Kennedy fanned Mike Lowell for the second out, Wily Mo Pena grounded to second, scoring Youkilis and cutting the lead to 3-2.

"We showed a lot of life late," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We just aren't scoring a lot of runs in bunches the last couple of nights."

A's relievers Colby Lewis, Jay Marshall and Santiago Casilla worked a scoreless eighth. Casilla stayed on for the ninth, earning his first career save with a scoreless frame.

"The bullpen did a good job again tonight," Geren said. "Santiago Casilla's first major league save, his third good performance in a row. He's worked hard in the minor leagues and I'm really happy for him."

Francona was ejected by home plate umpire Dan Iassongna in eighth inning after arguing a strike call during Julio Lugo's at-bat.