It’s a feast for Freddy at Boston

BOSTON – Freddy Garcia got more run support Saturday than he had in any of his other starts this season.

With a strong wind blowing around Fenway Park, he knew better than to feel too confident.

“Five runs here in Fenway Park – anything can happen,” Garcia said after Seattle beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4.

Raul Ibanez homered and Dan Wilson hit a two-run double to help Seattle take a 5-0 lead, and Garcia (3-3) held on to earn the win.

Although he entered with the best ERA in the A.L., his record didn’t show it because the Mariners had totaled just 20 runs in his first nine starts; they had never scored more than four while he was in a game.

“We finally scored him some runs,” Seattle manager Bob Melvin said. “Every pitch has been taxing on him, but today we finally got him some runs and he got us big outs when he needed them.”

Garcia allowed four runs and eight hits in 52/3 innings, his ERA rising from a 2.71 to 3.01. Mike Myers struck out all three batters he faced, Shigetoshi Hasegawa got four outs and Eddie Guardardo pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

Tim Wakefield (4-3) gave up five runs – all in the second and third innings – before settling down. He gave up 10 hits in all, adding three walks in 62/3 innings.

“In the second and third innings, I stunk,” Wakefield said. “I got it back after the third inning. I felt comfortable after that. I battled as hard as I could just to try to keep us in the game, but you can’t give those guys that many runs early.”

Manny Ramirez homered and singled, and Kevin Millar had two hits as the Red Sox lost for just the third time in 11 games.

Wakefield struggled to get through the second inning, giving up a leadoff double to Bret Boone and then singles to John Olerud, scoring one run, and Dave Hansen. Rich Aurilia bunted one back to the mound and Wakefield flubbed it, loading the bases. Wilson, 2 for 26 against Wakefield coming in, doubled for a 3-0 lead.

Ibanez homered leading off the third, Hansen doubled with two outs and Aurilia followed with an RBI single to make it 5-0.

But Boston closed to 5-2 in the fourth when Ramirez hit a two-run homer, Brian Daubach doubled and then Millar and Kevin Youkilis singled. In the sixth, Millar hit a leadoff double and scored one out later on Doug Mirabelli’s double.

Garcia got pinch-hitter Jason Varitek, and reliever Myers struck out Johnny Damon to end the inning.

Notes

Ramirez’s homer was his 361st, tying Joe DiMaggio on the career list. . . . Garcia’s 75th victory put him ahead of Mark Langston in third place on the Mariners’ list. . . . Ichiro Suzuki has reached base in 27 consecutive games. . . . Edgar Martinez had the day off before pinch hitting in the ninth. He is 1 for 19 in his career against Wakefield.