BOSTON (AP) – Kevin Youkilis fell a triple short of the cycle and drove in four runs, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-4 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.

Youkilis went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and two doubles as the Red Sox won their third straight after starting 2-6. Baltimore dropped its third consecutive game following a 6-2 start.

Mike Lowell had a pair of hits and an RBI for Boston.

The win was part of a sports-filled day in Boston. A few miles away at the TD Banknorth Garden, the Celtics lost a playoff game to the Chicago Bulls in the afternoon before the Bruins beat the Canadiens in Game 2 of their series.

Unlike Friday’s series opener, when the Red Sox rallied from a 7-0 deficit for a 10-8 win, they jumped ahead 6-0 after four innings.

Aubrey Huff had a two-run double in the Orioles’ four-run fifth inning to pull to 6-4.

Youkilis, coming off just his second hitless game of the season Friday, hit a three-run drive into the seats above the Green Monster off starter Adam Eaton (0-2) to put Boston ahead 4-0 after Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz singled in the third.

Youkilis’ RBI single in the fourth made it 6-0.

Josh Beckett (2-1), awaiting the appeal hearing of his six-game suspension for throwing over the head of Los Angeles’ Bobby Abreu last Sunday, benefited from the early offense despite struggling with his control at times in six innings. He gave up four runs – three earned – on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Hideki Okajima and Takashi Saito each pitched a scoreless inning before Jonathan Papelbon got three outs for his fourth save.

Papelbon retired the final two batters – Nick Markakis and Huff – after giving up Brian Roberts’ single and hitting Adam Jones.

Beckett, worked as he awaits his appeal.

The Orioles scored four runs in the fifth. Markakis, who had a grand slam and drove in five one night earlier, drew a bases-loaded walk before Huff hit a double with the bases full. Markakis scored from third on the play when shortstop Nick Green bobbled the relay in short left for an error, making it 6-4.

Jason Varitek’s RBI single made it 1-0 in the second.

Eaton lasted only four innings, as he did in his first start of the season, giving up six runs and nine hits.

Notes: Youkilis has eight multihit games. … Red Sox INF Jed Lowrie, on the 15-day DL with a sprained left wrist, may need surgery and is heading to Arizona for a second opinion. … Baltimore SS Cesar Izturis snapped an 0-17 stretch with a bunt single. … Boston SS Julio Lugo and OF Mark Kotsay both played in extended spring training games earlier Saturday. Lugo, working back from right knee surgery, played four innings at short and went 1-for-2 with two walks. Kotsay, out after back surgery, was the DH and went 1-for-3. … Injured Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, out with a strained shoulder, was to rest a few more days before starting a strengthening program.