OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – David Ortiz homered and drove in four runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to their 12th win in 13 games, a wild 8-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

Manny Ramirez and Ortiz hit consecutive home runs in the fourth inning off Barry Zito, and Bronson Arroyo (8-9) pitched 6 2-3 strong innings to win his third straight decision. Bill Mueller and Dave Roberts each hit RBI doubles in the seventh, and Ortiz added a three-run double in the ninth.

The Red Sox began a seven-game West Coast road trip by beating the AL West leaders, whose division lead was cut to 2 games over idle Anaheim.

The Red Sox remained 2 games behind the first-place Yankees in the AL East after New York beat Tampa Bay 7-4. Boston has won six of the first seven meetings against the A’s this season.

Mark Kotsay homered twice for Oakland and the defense played a clean game a day after the A’s committed five errors in a 13-5 loss at Toronto. Bobby Crosby doubled twice, including one that drove in a run in the seventh.

The game drew a Labor Day crowd of 37,839 and there was a playoff feel exactly 11 months after the Red Sox eliminated the A’s in Game 5 of the AL division series – Oakland’s fourth straight first-round playoff exit.

Kotsay erupted in anger when third-base umpire Brian Knight ruled Ramirez caught his sinking liner in left in the eighth. The ball appeared to bounce on the grass before Ramirez’s backhanded stop, and replays showed the ball hitting the field.

Kotsay stood on first base yelling, then started running across the diamond before being stopped by first-base coach Brad Fischer. The center fielder then took out his frustration by hitting a bucket of sunflower seeds in the dugout.

When Kotsay fielded Kevin Millar’s single on one hop in the ninth, he held the ball up in a sarcastic gesture as if he’d caught it. Fans then began throwing plastic bottles and garbage on the field from all directions, causing a short delay.

The only meeting Oakland has won in the season series was against Arroyo, a 15-2 loss to the A’s on May 27 at Fenway Park.

But the right-hander was sharp this time, retiring 11 straight after Eric Chavez’s third-inning single before Erubiel Durazo hit a one-out double in the eighth. Arroyo has won four of his last six starts. He didn’t walk a batter and allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out two.

Kotsay led off Oakland’s first inning with a homer to right, then connected again to start the third. Kotsay hit his third leadoff homer this season and sixth of his career.

Zito (10-10) took the loss in the deciding game against the Red Sox last year when he gave up a go-ahead three-run homer to Ramirez. On Monday, he didn’t let a baserunner past second until giving up both home runs in the fourth.

Ramirez hit his 38th homer leading off the inning, a solo shot just over the right-field scoreboard. It was his 385th career homer, tying him with the Red Sox’s Dwight Evans for 45th place on baseball’s all-time list.

Ortiz followed with a solo homer to right-center, the 10th time the Red Sox have hit back-to-back homers this year and the sixth time by Ramirez and Ortiz.

Zito allowed four runs on six hits in 6 1-3 innings, struck out four and walked three.

Boston’s Johnny Damon missed his fourth straight game with a jammed right pinkie.

Notes: The Red Sox plan to activate OF Trot Nixon on Tuesday from the disabled list. … A’s 2B Mark McLemore was a late scratch with swollen knees. … Kotsay also had leadoff homers July 21 at Seattle and Aug. 12 vs. Detroit.

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