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BOSTON -- Rookie Matt Olson's two-run homer highlighted a four-run first inning that led the Oakland A's to their sixth win in seven games, a 7-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night. The last-place A's, who lost to the first-place Red Sox on Tuesday after sweeping four games from the first-place Houston Astros, scored six runs in the first three innings against Boston starter Doug Fister (5-8) and never trailed.
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The Red Sox, losing for the second time in seven games, saw their lead over the New York Yankees drop to three games atop the American League East.
Jed Lowrie had a triple, a double and a single, drove in two runs and scored two against one of his former teams. Olson hit his 18th homer in just 49 games for the A's (64-81).
Rookie Jharel Cotton (8-10) worked the first five innings, allowing three runs and six hits, to get the win. Five Oakland relievers finished up with a combined four scoreless innings.
Fister came in with a 5-2 record with a 2.79 ERA since replacing injured David Price in the rotation, and he was 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA in his past four outings. He failed in his attempt to get his career record back to .500.
Jackie Bradley Jr. homered, Dustin Pedroia stroked three hits and Andrew Benintendi doubled his first two times up for the Red Sox (82-63).
The game was delayed 19 minutes by a seventh-inning downpour.
In his past four starts, all lasting at least seven innings, Fister had allowed runs only in the first inning -- and he quickly gave up four. But unlike the other four outings, this time he gave up other runs as well.
Lowrie tripled home the first run and scored on a single by Khris Davis, who equaled his career high with his 102nd RBI. Olson then connected for his homer.
Mookie Betts' groundout got a run back in the bottom of the inning, but Lowrie doubled home a run (his 45th double of the year) and wound up scoring when Pedroia tried to turn a double play by running Olson back to first but was late.
Benintendi's second double made it 6-2 in the bottom of the inning -- Pedroia was thrown out at the plate on a 3-2 double play -- and Bradley hit a 2-2 pitch leading off the fifth for his 16th homer of the season.
NOTES: There were important announcements from both teams -- the Red Sox welcoming David Ortiz back to the organization for a number of roles, including recruiting, and the A's picking a site in Oakland for their proposed new ballpark. ... The Red Sox haven't decided if LHP David Price (left elbow inflammation) will return as a starter or a reliever to help the team down the stretch. Manager John Farrell said, "David and his health. That's what will be the priority." Price threw three innings of a simulated game and said, "I just want to pitch. Whatever it is, that's fine." ... A sign reading "Racism is as American as Baseball" was hung on the Green Monster during the game and quickly removed. ... Rookie RHP Daniel Gossett goes for Oakland against LHP Drew Pomeranz in the matinee finale of the series Thursday.
