Oakland beats Boston 5-1 to split Japan series

TOKYO (Reuters) - Rich Harden pitched the Oakland Athletics to a 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, securing a split of the two-game Major League Baseball season-opening series in Japan.

Harden kept the World Series champions from sweeping the first MLB games in Japan since 2004, backed by Emil Brown's three-run homer off Boston starting pitcher Jon Lester.

The Oakland righthander fired nine strikeouts in six innings and gave up only three hits, while former Red Sox Alan Embree pitched the ninth inning for the A's.

Boston's Manny Ramirez continued a torrid start to the new season with a solo home run off Harden in the loss.

Harden said earlier he suffered jet lag after flying to Japan last week but showed no lingering effects on Wednesday.

"My catcher Kurt Suzuki called a great game and the team played great behind us," Harden said. "Apart from the (Ramirez) home run, overall I felt pretty good."

Boston's Lester, who came back from lymphoma last season, lasted only four innings, giving up four runs and five hits while taking the loss.

Oakland's Chris Denorfia started the scoring off Lester in the second with an RBI single but Brown's three-run homer to leftfield in the third inning was the key blow.

INSURANCE RUN

The A's added an insurance run in their half of the eighth before Embree pitched the ninth.

"It felt a pretty good swing," Brown said of his blast into the leftfield seats. "It was a good hit and helped the team. It was vibrant. We were into it because the fans were into it."

Boston won the opening series game 6-5 in 10 innings behind Ramirez's four RBIs and he supplied the main offense again on Wednesday.

"I'm a Red Sox fan, and particularly of Manny, so to see a home run live was fantastic," said 26-year-old businessman Satoru Kishi.

A traditional Japanese drum and sword exhibition launched the MLB series closing game, while teen golfer Ryo Ishikawa threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Oakland was MLB's designated home team for the Tokyo games but Japanese fans broadly backed Boston, including Ishikawa who wore a Daisuke Matsuzaka jersey.

"I'm delighted to have been able to come to Japan and pitch in the season-opening game," said Matsuzaka. "I'd love to get the chance to do it again."

Japan's Hideki Okajima, who earned Boston's first game win in relief of starter Matsuzaka, did not appear on Wednesday, while the A's lead kept the partisan crowd quiet for most of the game.

(Editing by Sonia Oxley)