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Crawford, Gonzalez power Red Sox to sweep of A's

Jun 6, 2011 - 1:55 AM Boston, MA (Sports Network) - Carl Crawford hit a three-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez added a two-run shot, powering the Boston Red Sox to a 6-3 victory and three-game sweep of the Oakland Athletics.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia and David Ortiz both finished with three hits for Boston, which had dropped four in a row entering this series.

John Lackey (3-5), who returned from the disabled list Sunday, picked up the win after giving up three runs in 5 2/3 innings. He had been sidelined since May 12 with a right elbow sprain.

"Good place to start coming off the [DL]," said Lackey. "My slider was a little sharper than it has been."

Brett Anderson (3-6) took the loss after allowing five runs in five innings. The left-hander has given up 15 runs in his last two starts.

"My stuff was pretty bad," said Anderson. "I have to get my breaking ball to where it has been and where I want it to be. It's not very good right now."

Oakland dropped its sixth consecutive game to match a season high.

Crawford put the A's in a hole in the second inning. After Ortiz and Jed Lowrie led off with consecutive singles, Crawford lifted a first-pitch slider -- which Anderson hung in the middle of the plate -- over the right field fence.

Crawford finished 1-for-2 with a walk Sunday, and went 6-for-13 with eight RBI in the series.

Kevin Kouzmanoff began the third by slugging a low fastball to center field for his fourth homer of the season, and Daric Barton's RBI single in the fourth had the A's within 3-2.

But Boston pulled back ahead thanks to another show of power, this time from Gonzalez. With two away in the fourth and Saltalamacchia on second, Anderson elevated a fastball on the outside part of the plate. Gonzalez took it the opposite way and over the Green Monster.

Oakland got one of those runs back in the sixth, when Conor Jackson was hit by a pitch with one out and stole second as Lackey fanned Kurt Suzuki. Matt Albers replaced Lackey after that strikeout but gave up a run-scoring double to Barton, making it a 5-3 contest.

But Albers recorded the final out of the inning, and Dustin Pedroia hit a run- scoring single in the bottom half.

The Red Sox bullpen closed the game, with Daniel Bard tossing a scoreless ninth for his first save of the season.

Game Notes

The A's fell to 0-3 on their 10-game road trip. They will start a three-game set in Baltimore on Monday...Boston shortstop Marco Scutaro, who is on the disabled list with a strained left oblique, is set to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Sunday...The Red Sox have delayed Clay Buchholz's next start to give him time to rest his back. Buchholz was slated to pitch Wednesday against the Yankees in New York, but will instead start Friday in Toronto. Tim Wakefield will start Wednesday...Boston optioned outfielder Josh Reddick to Pawtucket to make room on the roster for Lackey.