BOSTON (Ticker) -- Octavio Dotel and the Oakland Athletics can't get out of Boston fast enough.

After closer Keith Foulke blew a three-run lead in the top of the ninth inning, Jason Varitek hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame against Dotel as the Red Sox completed a three-game sweep with a 6-5 victory over the Athletics.

Dotel was called on to protect a one-run lead in the ninth inning Tuesday, but surrendered a two-run homer to Kevin Millar that gave the Red Sox a 3-2 victory.

"Nothing we do is quiet," joked Red Sox manager Terry Francona . "Today had a chance to be a real disheartening loss. We played a nice clean game, get your guy in there and then all of a sudden you're down one."

Boston has won the last nine meetings between the teams.

As was the case the night before, Dotel (1-2) walked David Ortiz to open the bottom of the ninth but this time Millar flied out to left. Varitek then slammed a 1-1 pitch that wrapped around the short right field foul pole for his seventh home run.

"Nothing is going right for me right now," said Dotel, who blew his fourth save. "Same problem, different hitter. Same situation, different guy."

Oakland lost its season-high fifth straight game.

Foulke (2-3), who had converted saves in his last five appearances heading into the game, entered with a 4-1 lead in the top of the ninth. He struck out Erubiel Durazo but then walked Bobby Kielty .

"He picks us up all the time so we said lets pick him up," said Varitek about his closer. "It got in on me a little bit, had a I gotten fully extended I might have hooked that thing foul."

After Scott Hatteberg bounced into a forceout, Marco Scutaro doubled to put runner's on second and third.

Keith Ginter lined a two-run single into left-center field that brought Oakland to within a run before Byrnes launched a 2-2 slider into the left field seats over the "Green Monster."

"The trouble started a lot earlier than that swing," Foulke said.

"He throws three different pitches," Byrnes said. "I couldn't sit there and look for just one pitch. I was waiting for a mistake over the middle of the plate and I got it."

Francona was left to do the talking for his closer who blew his second save of the season.

"I didn't think he located," Francona said. "He missed down with about three or four pitches that were real close. Once he missed down he then left some balls up out over the plate and he paid for it."

Boston starter Matt Clement allowed one run and five hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out four. The righthander has allowed three runs or less in seven of his eight starts this season.

Barry Zito , the 2002 Cy Young Award winner, allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings.

Johnny Damon extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a third-inning double for Boston, which has won eight of its last nine games.