BOSTON (AP) — Brad Penny scattered five hits over 6 1-3 innings to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 3-1 on Friday night and snap a season-high five-game losing streak.

The slump, combined with the New York Yankees’ winning streak, turned Boston’s 2½-game lead in the AL East at the All-Star break into a 2½-game deficit.

Penny (7-4) allowed just one unearned run, striking out four and walking none for his first victory since June 17. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the ninth, earning his 25th save in 27 tries despite putting runners on first and third with nobody out and then loading the bases for Luke Scott with one out.

Scott struck out on three pitches, then Melvin Mora whiffed on a full count to end the game.

Brad Bergesen (6-5) gave up three runs on nine hits and three walks, striking out five in six innings as Baltimore lost to Boston for the 10th time in 11 games. Nolan Reimold had three hits and a walk and scored the Orioles’ only run as they fell to 1-15 on the road against division opponents this season – 2-26 dating to 2008.

Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia each had a pair of hits for Boston and helped Penny out in the field. Pedroia made a diving stop on Aubrey Huff’s fourth-inning grounder and scampered to his feet to make the throw to first in time.

Ellsbury made a diving catch on Adam Jones’ sinking liner in the third. The Red Sox leadoff hitter also had his 42nd stolen base, and was deprived of a triple only because his long fly to deep center in the sixth bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double.

Ellsbury tried to score on Pedroia’s single, but Nick Markakis threw him out at the plate. It was Markakis’ major league-leading 11th outfield assist of the season.

Baltimore took a 1-0 lead in the second on Mora’s sacrifice fly. J.D. Drew singled to lead off the fourth for Boston, went to third on Mike Lowell’s double and scored on Jason Varitek’s single. Jed Lowrie hit a sacrifice fly to score Lowell and make it 2-0.

Drew’s hit snapped an 0-for-24 slump. He also had an RBI groundout in the fifth to make it 3-1.

NOTES: The Red Sox added 1B Adam LaRoche, who was acquired from Pittsburgh on Wednesday, to the roster and designated 1B-OF Mark Kotsay for assignment. … Red Sox manager Terry Francona met with Daisuke Matsuzaka for 90 minutes. The injured RHP is not ready for mound work. … RHP Tim Wakefield had a cortisone shot and could be throwing on flat ground as early as Monday. … Boston is 32-14 at home, the best home record in the majors, but 24-25 on the road.

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