Wakefield takes no-hitter into 8th as Boston wins 8-2

OAKLAND, Calif. - Tim Wakefield took a no-hitter into the eighth inning on a day when the Red Sox desperately needed a strong start from their 42-year-old knuckleballer. He finished with a 4-hitter Wednesday in Boston's slump-snapping 8-2 victory over the Oakland Athletics.

Wakefield (1-1) got within five outs of the first no-hitter of his 17-season major league career, nearly becoming the second-oldest pitcher to accomplish the feat after Nolan Ryan.

Kurt Suzuki broke it up with a one-out single to left for the A's, and Landon Powell had an RBI single later in the inning. Wakefield gave up Matt Holliday's run-scoring double in the ninth, but escaped one last jam before getting hugs and congratulations from each of his teammates.