Tim Wakefield won his 150th game as a Red Sox pitcher yesterday.

AP / Steven Senne

BOSTON — As he had the three previous times that he pitched on his birthday, Tim Wakefield celebrated the occasion by securing a victory yesterday at Fenway.

But this gift, which came on the day that the Red Sox knuckleball pitcher turned 41, was a particularly momentous one.

Going at least six innings for the seventh straight start and making it to the seventh for the first time during that stretch, Wakefield scattered six hits with five strikeouts and one walk, giving up three earned runs en route to his 150th victory as a member of the organization.

He joins Roger Clemens (192) and Cy Young (192) as the only pitchers in franchise history who have won at least 150 games with the club.

He is also one of only three active pitchers to record at least 150 wins with their current club. John Smoltz has 203 with the Atlanta Braves and Andy Pettitte has 153 over his two stints with the Yankees.

“I was very fortunate that the offense scored four runs there in the bottom of the seventh inning to give us a cushion for [Hideki Okajima] and [Eric] Gagne,” said Wakefield, who has now won 6 out of his last 7 starts and 8 out of his last 10 and was coming off a 2-1 win last Friday in Tampa that established him as the all-time leader in victories (17) over the Devil Rays.

The right-hander has now earned a decision in each of his 22 starts this season, becoming just the sixth pitcher since 1980 to do so and the first since Roy Oswalt started off the 2005 campaign by recording decisions in his first 22 starts.

Dave Ferriss, who incidentally was in town to help honor legendary teammate Bobby Doerr, was the last Red Sox to achieve the feat when he went 18-6 through his first 24 starts in 1945.

Improving to 13-9 with two months left in the season, Wakefield is only four wins away from matching his career-high of 17 wins in a season, which he set in 1998 when he went 17-8 in 33 starts.

“What he’s done, I’ll take all the time you want and brag about it,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “He’s a pro, he’s been a pro, he will continue to be a pro. And for him to be at that stage in his career has taken a lot of hard work. Because the older you get, you have to work really hard to stay productive, and he has done that and he will continue.”

Wakefield’s longevity can partially be attributed to the fact that a knuckleball pitcher’s throwing style places considerably less stress on the arm.

As an example, knuckleballers Phil Niekro — who enjoyed a 24-year professional career, primarily with the Braves — and Charlie Hough — who pitched for 25 seasons, his longest stints with the L.A. Dodgers and Texas — both threw into their late 40s.

But Wakefield has also made a conscious effort, especially in recent years, to take care of his body.

“I don’t feel 41. I feel like I’m in my 30s, and our training staff does a great job of maintaining workouts and staying healthy,” he said. “I started this four or five years ago: offseason workouts, working out, lifting weights, getting in shape and getting prepared for a long season. And it’s helped tremendously over the last five or six years for me.”

As for being on his way to the best season of his career, Wakefield says, “I’m not even thinking about that. I’m thinking about my next start against Anaheim [next week]. I’m trying to be as consistent as I can. I’ve always said, ‘You’re only as good as your next start,’ so I’ve got four days to prepare for that one, and we’re going to be facing a good club there in Anaheim.”

cthorn@projo.com