OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Jason Giambi drove in two runs, Jack Cust and Nomar Garciaparra each homered and the Oakland Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 8-2 Monday night for their first home win of the season.

Dallas Braden (1-1) pitched six solid innings as the Athletics ended a three-game losing skid. He allowed two runs on six hits, walking one and striking out three. Matt Holliday had three hits and drove in a pair of runs and Orlando Cabrera added an RBI single for the A’s.

Kevin Youkilis hit a homered and doubled for the Red Sox, who lost their fifth in six games. David Ortiz also drove in a run for Boston, which is off to its worst start since opening 2-12 in 1996.

Jon Lester (0-2) allowed six runs and 10 hits. He struck out five and did not walk a batter.

The Red Sox had won Lester’s last six starts following a loss. The A’s were the last team to beat Boston with Lester on the mound after a loss on May 25 in Oakland. Lester had allowed three runs in his previous 12 2-3 innings at the Coliseum.

Youkilis gave the Red Sox the early lead with his second home run, a solo shot leading off the second. He also doubled to maintain his AL-leading average at .519.

Cust tied it with a leadoff homer in the second. Kurt Suzuki followed with a single, Bobby Crosby was hit by a pitch, and after two strikeouts, Cabrera singled home a run ahead of Giambi’s two-run double. Holliday followed with a run-scoring single.

Cust has reached base safely in 36 consecutive games, the longest current streak. Jason Bay, who singled in the seventh, is next at 20 games.

Braden retired 12 of 13 batters at one point. He walked Rocco Baldelli with one out in the sixth and gave up singles to Dustin Pedroia and Ortiz.

Michael Wuertz, Santiago Casilla and Brad Ziegler each pitched a scoreless inning to complete the six-hitter.

The Red Sox have lost four straight in Oakland and are 3-11 in their last 14 games here.

Crosby hit a sacrifice fly in the eighth to make it 8-2.

Notes: Garciaparra made his first career appearance against the Red Sox. … A’s 3B Eric Chavez missed the game with a sore shoulder and will likely miss Tuesday’s game as well. … Suzuki has hit safely in all 13 of his games against Boston, matching Tony Armas for the A’s longest hitting streak against the Red Sox. … Red Sox INF Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day DL with a sore left wrist. INF Gil Velazquez was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket to take his place. … Giambi has 113 RBIs against the Red Sox, the most of any active player. … Lester picked off Ryan Sweeney and Cabrera, who each singled, in consecutive at bats to end the fourth.

AP-ES-04-14-09 0107EDT

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