OAKLAND — Frank Thomas homered twice and drove in four runs to help Dan Haren win for the first time in six weeks, and the Oakland Athletics avoided a three-game sweep with a 5-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

Thomas hit a solo homer in the fourth and a three-run shot in the fifth, both off Kyle Snyder, for his 21st and 22nd of the year.

It marked the second two-homer game this season for the Big Hurt and 28th of his career. His other came May 22 at Chicago against his former White Sox teammates.

Haren (7-9) pitched seven strong innings to end a seven-start winless stretch and three-start losing streak.

He had lost his last four decisions since beating Seattle on June 14. After Coco Crisp’s two-out single in the second, Haren retired the next 14 Boston batters before Manny Ramirez doubled in the seventh. Crisp drove him in with another single.

The A’s remained in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Angels atop the AL West standings after the Angels also won Wednesday, 15-6 at Tampa Bay.