(Best E Casino) - The Boston Red Sox will try to put the brakes on a five- game road losing streak tonight, as they take on the Oakland Athletics in the second bout of a three-game set at McAfee Coliseum.

The Red Sox own the best overall (31-20) and home (21-5) record in baseball, but they have had their share of problems on the road, posting just a 10-15 record on foreign soil.

The defending world champions began a 10-game trek last night and suffered an 8-3 setback. Mark Ellis added a three-run homer for the A's, who have won two in a row, but are just 3-7 over the last 10 games.

Jack Cust had an RBI and scored twice.

Jacoby Ellsbury went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI for Boston, which just completed a perfect seven-game homestand.

Tim Wakefield (3-3) absorbed the loss after he was touched for eight runs on eight hits in five-plus frames.

Rich Harden (3-0) got the win as he went six strong innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out eight and walking only three batters.

Taking the mound for the A's tonight will be Justin Duchscherer, who has allowed three earned runs or less in all six of his starts this season.

Duchscherer, however, has dropped his last two outings, including a 5-2 decision against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday. In that game, the right-hander yielded three earned runs and seven hits over five innings of duty.

Duchscherer, who is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in two home starts this season, is 1-0 with a save and a 2.66 ERA in 13 career relief appearances against Boston.

The Red Sox will turn to ace Josh Beckett to get the team the back on track. The right-hander was tagged for six earned runs, including four home runs, in seven innings against Milwaukee on Sunday, but he still managed to earn the win in an 11-7 triumph. He struck out nine in the game.

On the road this season, Beckett is 2-3 with a 4.18 ERA in five starts. He has fanned 37 batters in 32 1/3 innings away from home.

In four career starts against the A's, Beckett is an even 2-2 with a 5.55 ERA.

Boston swept a two-game series from the A's at the Coliseum in early April after the teams each won once during the season-opening set in Japan from March 25-26. The Red Sox are just 6-10 in Oakland since the start of the 2005 campaign, however.