“I wanted to keep my pitch count down and get a little deeper into the game,” Harden said. “But it was one of those ones today where I kind of battled through it and threw a lot of pitches. I didn’t really have any quick innings, so there’s no point in pushing it. As the season goes on, we’re going to extend it, definitely.”

Harden and Lester faced each other last month in Tokyo, with Harden getting the win with nine strikeouts in six innings of three-hit ball.

Youkilis played his 194th consecutive mistake-free game at first base to break Steve Garvey’s record for errorless games at their position. Youkilis even made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of Bobby Crosby’s foul popup to end the seventh, and he adeptly fielded Jack Cust’s grounder to end the game.

The A’s gave first base to Youkilis in appreciation, and the ball used on his final putout was sent to the Hall of Fame.

“It’s an achievement you never set out to do, but it’s a great honor,” Youkilis said.

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Dustin Pedroia and Youkilis drove in runs as the Red Sox hit five consecutive singles to lead off the eighth, and Varitek added his first homer of the season off A’s closer Huston Street in the ninth.

Oakland managed just seven hits in its first two home games, with the pitching-rich Cleveland Indians arriving Friday.

“A lot of guys seem to getting into a little lull at the same time,” A’s manager Bob Geren said. “A lot of the guys that are struggling actually swung the bats well in the spring. Just a couple of them are going through it right now, but they’ll be fine.”

Notes: Lester is the first Red Sox left-hander to win a game at the Coliseum since May 29, 1995, when Zane Smith beat Dave Stewart. ... Manny Ramirez hit a 399-foot drive to center after Ortiz’s homer, but Chris Denorfia leaped to catch it at the fence. Ramirez went 0-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. ... Boston RF J.D. Drew made his season debut, going 1-for-5 with two strikeouts. He hadn’t played since his lower back tightened up March 25. ... Garvey set the record with San Diego from June 1983-April 1985.

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