BOSTON — The Athletics’ scouting report indicated that Coco Crisp has been bunting for hits often lately. He already has three this season.

In his first at-bat on Tuesday night, he twice tried to drop a bunt and fouled off each attempt. In the fifth, he bunted in front of the plate but was thrown out by the catcher.

Last night, Crisp got a base hit in the second inning because of his bunting reputation.

Oakland third baseman Eric Chavez was playing in on the grass, anticipating a bunt. Crisp, though, smacked the first pitch he saw on a hop past Chavez for a single through the shortstop hole. Had Chavez been playing back in a normal third-base position, it would have been an easy play for him.. Because he was playing in, his range was limited.

Crisp made the scouting report work in the Sox’ favor even better in the sixth inning.

With Boston trailing, 3-2, and a runner at first with none out, Boston elected not to sacrifice with Crisp at the plate.

Still, Chavez was playing in for Crisp, respecting his ability to drop one down for a hit.

Crisp foiled his positioning by chopping a one-hopper over Chavez’s head. The ball landed on the infield dirt behind Chavez and rolled into the left-field corner for a double, setting up a two-run inning that handed the Sox a 4-3 advantage.

What’s next?

Boston starter Josh Beckett had Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis, the No. 2 hitter in the order, totally baffled.

In the fourth inning, Beckett threw three straight curveballs for a strikeout. Ellis took the first two, at speeds of 74 and 77 mph, respectively. Then he chased a 79-mph curveball in the dirt for a whiff.

Two innings later, Beckett and catcher Jason Varitek changed their pattern. Beckett threw three straight fastballs for another strikeout. Again Ellis took the first two pitches, an inside-corner fastball (94) and an outside-corner fastball (94). Then Beckett buried a two-seam, 94-mph fastball in under Ellis’ hands for a swinging third strike.

And then, in a pivotal situation in the seventh, Beckett and Varitek once again confused Ellis for an inning-ending whiff with runners at first and second and two outs, and the Sox clinging to a 4-3 lead.

The first pitch, a curveball (77), was high. Then Beckett sizzled his best fastball of the night (97) past Ellis for a called strike. Eliis went fishing for a 79-mph curveball, and the Beckett froze him with a 94-mph fastball on the outside corner for a strikeout on his 103rd and final pitch.

Don’t say they don’t count

They’re called productive outs.

They don’t necessarily help a guy’s batting average, but they can help a team, as Alex Cora and Julio Lugo showed in the sixth inning.

With runners at second and third and none out, Cora managed to basically throw his bat at an outside 1-and-2 pitch and hit a routine grounder to short. Varitek scored the tying run from third and Crisp moved over to third.

Lugo then lined a sacrifice fly to right, delivering Crisp with the run that snapped the 3-3 tie.

“Those were two great at-bats,” said Mike Lowell. “They executed those at-bats perfectly.”

Little things count, said Cora.

“There were not a lot of fireworks, but ‘get him over, get him in,’ that’s what you work on in spring training,” said Cora. “That’s how you win games. It’s not only the big guys (who can win games). I’ve said it since spring training that we’ve got a solid baseball team.”

Opening the door

Oakland catcher Jason Kendall did everything right — until he made an awful throw, allowing Mike Lowell to escape a rundown with the Sox up a run in the seventh.

The Athletics sniffed out the fact Lowell would be running from first on the pitch, so they called a pitchout.

Lowell was indeed running on the pitch. He was caught in the middle of the baseline, an apparent dead duck. Kendall raced out from behind the plate, holding the ball and running at Lowell, forcing the baserunner to commit. Lowell finally began lunging toward second base.

Kendall just had to make a decent throw and Lowell would be out. But Kendall bounced the throw to shortstop Bobby Crosby, who was unable to come up with the ball. So Lowell was safe.

Kendall was charged with an error, while Lowell was charged with a caught-stealing under rule 10.07c. Regardless of the scoring, the misplay cost Oakland another run when Cora fought back from an 0-and-2 hole to scorch a single to center on a 3-and-2 pitch from ex-Red Sox reliever Alan Embree.

“That was a botched hit-and-run,” said Lowell. “When I peeked in and saw there was a pitchout, I said, ‘Uh, oh.’ I tried to buy some time and then I made the decision to go to second. I was happy to see the ball go in the dirt at second. It was nothing smart or brilliant on my part.”

As good as advertised

There was considerable talk around Boston last year that Lowell should have won the Gold Glove for his season-long excellence at third base,

And Lowell was very good, making only six errors and turning in a highlight-reel play almost every week.

But the Gold Glove went to the Athletics’ Chavez, the sixth year in a row he was so honored.

In the two games at Fenway this week, Chavez showed what a talented glove man he is.

On Tuesday night, he robbed Dustin Pedroia of a hit with lightning-quick reflexes and soft hands, snatching a hard-hit short hop that was almost past him, turning the ball into an out.

Last night, he stole a hit from Kevin Youkilis in the first inning, going to the backhand to pick the hard hopper and then, as his momentum was carrying him toward the third-base dugout, he fired a one-hop strike to first baseman Dan Johnson, beating Youkilis by several steps for the out.

Even Chavez, though, can’t make every play. He was unable to secure Manny Ramirez’s roller down the line in the third, the ball squirting through his web as he backpedaled, trying to make a backhand pickup.

He dropped the ball

Oakland pitcher Chad Guadin just couldn’t get a grip.

He got in his stretch position on the rubber, the ball in his right hand behind his right leg, his glove resting on his left thigh. And suddenly, the baseball just slipped out of his hand and rolled in front of the mound.

Unfortunately for him, there were two runners on base because that constituted a balk, permitting runners to move up a base, to second and third, respectively, putting Gaudin in a one-out bind in the third. Had there been no one on base, it would have been no-harm, no-foul.

Gaudin got out of the jam, though, whiffing J.D. Drew and Lowell.

Batting zero

When you’re batting a combined .065 (3-for 46), you had better be a pretty good defensive player if you’re hoping for playing time.

Struggling Oakland outfielder Ryan Langerhans, obtained by the Athletics in time for Tuesday night’s start in Boston, didn’t do himself any favors last night.

Langerhans, 0-for-44 in Atlanta, misplayed a liner hit by Crisp to center field in the fourth, nonchalantly reaching up for it and having the ball glance off his glove for a two-base error.

Langerhans had a chance to make up for his error, but after fielding Lugo’s two-out single to center, he was unable to throw out the speedy Crisp at the plate. The unearned run put Boston on top, 2-0.

skrasner@projo.com