Boston, MA (Best E Casino) - Kyle Lohse posted another terrific outing on the hill and the Cardinals used three home runs to escape with a 5-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a three-game series.

Fans sat through a one-hour, 14-minute rain delay but were treated to a celebratory mini-parade around Fenway Park from the NBA's Boston Celtics, who earlier in the week upended their cross-country rival Los Angeles Lakers to secure the 17th championship in franchise history.

The Fenway faithful didn't see much production from the potent Red Sox lineup, however, as Lohse and the bullpen silenced the defending World Series champs. Lohse (9-2) allowed two runs -- just one earned -- in six innings to extend his personal winning streak to six straight starts. He gave up six hits and two walks, while fanning four.

"[Lohse] consistently takes good stuff out there and consistently has good location and consistently competes," St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa said. "He's got as many weapons as about any starter around."

Ryan Franklin recorded a two-inning save, his 10th of the season.

Skip Schumaker hit a two-run homer, while Yadier Molina and Jason LaRue each notched solo shots for the Cardinals, who snapped a three-game slide.

Julio Logo homered and recorded two RBI for Boston, which had won four of five coming into the game. Tim Wakefield (4-5) was credited with four runs -- three earned -- en route to the loss.

The Cardinals, making their first trip to Fenway since losing the first two games of an eventual sweep in the 2004 World Series, took the lead for good in the seventh, as Schumaker's two-run blast to right made it a 4-2 game.

Randy Flores relieved Lohse in the home half and loaded the bases without retiring a batter. Russ Springer came on to face the always dangerous Manny Ramirez with no room for error, but induced a 4-6-3 double play ball. Though it scored a run, Springer kept the bleeding to a minimum by fanning Mike Lowell.

Molina brought the run right back an inning later with a one-out, solo homer, and Franklin was called upon for a rare, two-inning save opportunity. After a scoreless eighth, Franklin served up an RBI single to Lowell before getting Kevin Youkilis to fly out with the tying run standing on third in the ninth.

"We had some opportunities, some guys right in the middle of the order we had up and let them off the hook a couple of times, ended up losing by one," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We did have some opportunities."

Boston loaded the bases off Lohse in the second, but only got one run across on Lugo's sacrifice fly to center.

LaRue tied it up in the fifth, taking Wakefield deep to left for his second home run of the season.

Two errant throws by Lugo cost Boston a run in the sixth, as he botched two possible double-play tosses to first, the last of which bringing in a run.

The shortstop redeemed himself in the bottom half with his first homer of the season, a two-out, solo round-tripper over the Green Monster.

Game Notes

The Red Sox wore green jerseys to show their support of the Celtics. NBA Finals MVP Paul Pierce threw out the first pitch...Boston fell to 28-8 at home...Lugo's homer was his first since September 22, 2007 at Tampa Bay...Cardinals shortstop Cesar Izturis left the game in the fourth inning with a strained right hamstring...Before the game, St. Louis recalled pitcher Mike Parisi from Triple-A Memphis and optioned pitcher Brad Thompson to Memphis...Boston Red Sox told a Boston radio station on Friday that he will undergo season-ending surgery on Monday for his ailing right shoulder, possibly ending the future Hall-of-Famers career. Schilling has been on the disabled list all season because of a shoulder problem and the surgery could signal the end of the right-hander's career.