PAWTUCKET, R.I. (AP) – Bolstered by the presence of Boston Red Sox stars Jason Varitek and Trot Nixon, the Pawtucket Red Sox defeated the Ottawa Lynx 3-1 on Friday night.

Varitek, who is coming back from arthroscopic knee surgery, slugged a solo homer in his first at bat. He went 1-for-3. Trot Nixon, on a rehabilitation assignment for strained right biceps, went 0-for-4 in his second game with Pawtucket. The loss mathematically eliminated Ottawa from contention for the International League playoffs.

Marc Deschenes (8-5) threw six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and two walks.

while striking out four.

Pawtucket widened its lead to 3-0 by scoring twice in the fourth inning off of Ottawa starter Cory Morris (1-9). Tyler Minges had an RBI single and Willie Harris scored the other run when Trent Durrington grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Ottawa scored in the ninth on Val Majewski’s two-out RBI single off Pawtucket closer Jermaine Van Buren, who picked up his 16th save.

Varitek and Nixon are expected to be joined by Boston shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who is recovering from a knee injury, in the lineup for Pawtucket against Ottawa on Saturday.