DETROIT (AP) – The Boston bullpen again prevented Pedro Martinez from getting a win. It didn’t stop the Red Sox from moving closer to first place.

Todd Jones pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the 10th and Johnny Damon singled home the go-ahead run in the 11th as the Red Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 4-2 Saturday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

Boston moved within one game of the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox have made up three games in the past five days.

Jones (2-0) loaded the bases after a triple by Andres Torres and two intentional walks, but struck out three in a scoreless 10th inning for the victory.

“We’re in a pennant race and I got to throw in a tight situation,” Jones said. “I’m a former closer, so I’ve been in tough situations. I just concentrated on throwing my pitches.”

In the 11th, Kevin Millar doubled off Fernando Rodney (0-1) with one out and went to third on a passed ball. After Bill Mueller walked, Millar scored on Damon’s single. Mueller, who went to third on the hit, scored on Jason Varitek’s sacrifice fly to deep center.

Byung-Hyun Kim got three outs for his fifth save in five chances.

Martinez allowed four hits, struck out eight, walked one and threw two wild pitches. He allowed a leadoff triple to Alex Sanchez, then retired 15 Tigers in a row until Matt Walbeck doubled to start the sixth.

Damon, who had three hits, got the Red Sox on the scoreboard with a fifth-inning homer. Detroit tied it in the sixth when Sanchez’s sacrifice fly scored Walbeck.

Trot Nixon hit his 14th homer in the top of the eighth, and Martinez left leading 2-1. But the Boston bullpen cost Martinez a win for the fifth time this season when Alan Embree gave up a two-out RBI double to Carlos Pena in the bottom half.

“He’s pitched well all year,” Embree said of Martinez. “He’s 6-2, but he could easily be 12-2. It’s disappointing. It seems that every year there’s a pitcher this happens to. It’s unfortunate that it’s happening to the best pitcher in the league.”

Detroit starter Matt Roney struck out a career-high seven in 6 2-3 innings. He gave up one run and four hits.

Notes: Boston OF Manny Ramirez will not play in the All-Star game next week due to a sore left hamstring. He was replaced by Magglio Ordonez of the Chicago White Sox. Ramirez was the designated hitter Saturday and went 1-for-5 with a single. … Detroit’s first four hits went for extra bases, including three doubles. … Little said before the game that pitcher Casey Fossum and outfielder Jeremy Giambi, both on minor league rehab assignments, will be recalled during or shortly after the All-Star break. … Red Sox SS Nomar Garciaparra, who went 0-for-5, is 2-for-34 in his last eight games. … Damon’s homer was his first since June 13 at Kansas City. … Detroit’s Craig Monroe ended an 0-for-12 skid with a seventh-inning double.

AP-ES-07-13-03 0006EDT