WORCESTER, Mass., May 9, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Champion catcher Jason Varitek is encouraging young fans to read this summer through his support of the Massachusetts Teachers Association's Red Sox Summer Reading Game, presented by The Hanover Insurance Group Foundation, Inc.

Victor Martinez's two-out double in a six-run ninth inning put Boston in front Friday, and the Red Sox defeated Texas 8-4. The Rangers appeared ready to assume the lead in the American League wild-card race in the opener of a crucial series, but Boston overwhelmed closer Frank Francisco (2-2) to pull out a dramatic victory. Texas took a 4-2 lead into the ninth, thanks in part to a two-run, first-inning homer by Michael Young, but David Ortiz opened the final frame with a double. Jason Varitek followed with an infield single, and Jacoby Ellsbury singled in Ortiz.

David Ortiz hit a three-run homer Thursday, rallying Boston to a come-from-behind 8-5 win over Oakland. He had two of Boston's 10 hits on a day when he and former teammate Manny Ramirez were named by The New York Times as two of 104 players who allegedly violated baseball's substance abuse policy in 2003. The homer put Boston up 6-5 with two outs in bottom of the seventh, erasing a 5-3 deficit. Jason Varitek also had three RBI, Mike Lowell and Jacoby Ellsbury one each, while both J.D.

Dustin Pedroia went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI Monday to help the Boston Red Sox post an 8-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Josh Beckett (12-4) allowed three runs on eight hits in seven-plus innings to remain perfect at home this season.

Jason Varitek knocked in a pair of runs, and Jason Bay homered and scored twice, Tuesday to power the Boston Red Sox' 5-2 win over Oakland. Josh Beckett (10-3) got the victory by holding the Athletics to two runs on six hits over 6 2/3 innings.