OAKLAND, Calif. — When Tim Wakefield stopped by Terry Francona's office yesterday morning, he already realized the Boston Red Sox were staggering. They had lost six of seven while struggling to hit, and their bullpen was gassed after pitching 11 innings last night.

"I understand the circumstances of today," Wakefield recalled telling his manager. "No matter what, don't take me out."

Francona never even had to consider it. His 42-year-old knuckleballer helped the Red Sox get a whole lot better with one of the best performances of his long career.

Wakefield took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in a masterful display of his unusual art, finishing with a four-hitter yesterday in Boston's slump-snapping 8-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Wakefield (1-1) got within five outs of the first no-hitter of his 17-season major league career, nearly becoming the second-oldest pitcher to accomplish the feat after Nolan Ryan, who did it twice when he was older than Wakefield's 42 years, 256 days.

Maui's Kurt Suzuki, a Baldwin High alum, broke it up with a one-out single to left for the A's, and Landon Powell had an RBI single later in the inning. Wakefield also gave up Matt Holliday's run-scoring double in the ninth, but escaped one last jam before getting hugs and congratulations from each of his teammates.

"They were really aggressive early, and then something kind of clicked in the second or third inning," Wakefield said. "I'm not disappointed. Obviously (a no-hitter) is something that's great to try to get, but the most important thing was to preserve our bullpen."

Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer in the second inning and J.D. Drew added a three-run homer during the six-run eighth for the Red Sox.

INDIANS 5, ROYALS 4:

Travis Hafner's second double of the game keyed a three-run seventh inning to open up a 5-2 lead, and Cleveland picked up its first road win of the year while avoiding a three-game sweep with a victory over Kansas City.

YANKEES 4, RAYS 3:

Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer and Derek Jeter, who doubled in the eighth and scored the tying run on Johnny Damon's double, singled in the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to lead visiting New York over Tampa Bay.

TIGERS 9, WHITE SOX 0:

Armando Galarraga (2-0) gave up four hits and two walks while striking out five in 6 1/3 innings, and Placido Polanco drove in three runs, including a two-run double for a 2-0 lead in the first inning, as host Detroit cruised past Chicago.

BLUE JAYS 12, TWINS 2:

Aaron Hill went 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, Scott Rolen hit a two-run shot and Vernon Wells and Michael Barrett also went deep for host Toronto. Minnesota's Scott Baker, who just came off the disabled list, gave up five hits and six runs in four innings.

TEXAS 19, ORIOLES 6:

Ian Kinsler went 6-for-6 to become the fourth player in team history to hit for the cycle and Nelson Cruz matched the AL home run lead with his fifth homer — a grand slam during an eight-run fourth — as Texas roughed up Baltimore to snap a five-game losing streak.

MARINERS 11, ANGELS 3:

Ken Griffey Jr. hit career homer No. 613 and his 400th as a Mariner, and Ichiro Suzuki had two hits, including a grand slam, in his season debut following his first career stint on the disabled list to lead Seattle past Los Angeles.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

CARDINALS 12, DIAMONDBACKS 7:

Ryan Ludwick singled in a run in the third inning and added a two-run homer in the sixth to raise his average to .407, and Chris Duncan added a single, double, triple and two RBIs to help visiting St. Louis defeat Arizona.

ROCKIES 5, CUBS 2:

Jason Marquis (2-0) allowed one run and five hits in seven innings and hit a bases-loaded, two-run single in the second off Rich Harden to lead visiting Colorado past Chicago, the team with which he spent the previous two years.

MARLINS 10, BRAVES 4:

Dan Uggla drove in three runs for the second straight game and reliever Peter Moylan's bases-loaded walk to pinch-hitter Russ Gload snapped a 4-4 tie in the seventh for visiting Florida, which added five runs in the ninth to beat Atlanta.

METS 7, PADRES 2:

Oliver Perez (1-1) allowed one run and three hits over six innings, Carlos Delgado homered and host New York used three walks, a wild pitch, a passed ball, an error and a bunt single to score four runs in the seventh and end San Diego's five-game winning streak.

ASTROS 4, PIRATES 1:

Mike Hampton (1-1) allowed four singles, walked one and struck out eight over six shutout innings, Carlos Lee drove in three runs and Miguel Tejada had three hits and scored two runs to help host Houston beat Pittsburgh and snap a five-game losing streak.

BREWERS 9, REDS 3:

Mike Cameron hit a pair of home runs to spoil the pitching debut of Micah Owings (0-1) and host Milwaukee broke a 3-all tie with five runs in the sixth inning, capped by a two-run homer by Rickie Weeks.

DODGERS 5, GIANTS 4:

James Loney drew his second bases-loaded walk of the game, this time with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, to lift Los Angeles over San Francisco, which led 4-2 after Aaron Rowand's three-run homer in the eighth.

NOTES

Red Sox: Boston right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka went on the 15-day disabled list yesterday with a mild right shoulder strain after his second straight poor start to open the season.

The Red Sox said Matsuzaka had "arm fatigue." Speaking through an interpreter, Matsuzaka claimed he felt fine.

"Not in particular," Matsuzaka said through a translator, when asked if he had any physical problems. "I haven't had the chance to speak to (manager Terry) Francona yet, but for me personally, I think I'm OK."