Clay Buchholz pitched seven strong innings, Adrian Beltre homered and Victor Martinez had a two-run double as the Boston Red Sox earned a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

Buchholz (16-7) bounced back from his worst outing of the season - when he gave up five runs in one-plus inning against the Oakland Athletics - to hand Seattle (55-91) its seventh consecutive loss.

Buchholz allowed one run and four hits in seven innings with six strikeouts and three walks.

Boston (82-64) is six games behind the New York Yankees for the American League wild card.

Beltre belted his 24th home run in the fourth inning. David Ortiz scored on second baseman Chone Figgins' fielding error to make it 2-1.

Martinez doubled in two runs in the seventh for a 4-1 lead and Ryan Kalish capped the scoring with an RBI triple in the eighth.

Marco Scutaro had three hits for the Red Sox.

David Pauley (2-8) lost his fourth consecutive decision, allowing two runs - one earned - on six hits in six innings. He had four strikeouts and two walks.

Russell Branyan belted his 25th homer in the first inning for Seattle's lone run of the contest.