BOSTON — Eric Chavez and the Oakland Athletics wasted no time in reviving their playoff push.

Chavez homered twice and Oakland’s first five batters got hits as the Athletics broke out of their slump with a 12-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday.

It was a big victory for the Athletics, who had lost their previous two games, dropping out of a tie for first place in the AL West. The A’s remained two games behind division-leading Los Angeles, which beat Detroit 5-3.

“If we just continue to play like we are, it should be enough to make this thing real interesting,” Oakland manager Ken Macha said. “Hitting has been riding a roller-coaster. Some guys are feeling good about themselves after today.”

Oakland got four runs in the first inning off Matt Clement (13-6), scored three more in the second as the Butler native gave up seven runs and eight hits in 1Ï innings, the shortest start of his career not related to injury. On Saturday, Oakland managed just four hits in a 2-1 defeat, its fourth loss in five games.

“Just a nightmare of a day,” said Clement, who lost his third straight start. “I left a lot of balls over the plate, and they did what you are supposed to do with balls over the plate.”

The A’s added five runs in the fifth against Jeremi Gonzalez for a 12-0 lead. Oakland had scored just three runs and totaled 12 hits in their previous two games. It had 15 hits in this one.

Boston, which split the four-game series, maintained its 1½-game AL East lead over the New York Yankees, who lost 6-5 at Toronto. The Red Sox start a six-game trip today at Tampa Bay.

“We’re fortunate that the Yankees lost,” Boston’s Johnny Damon said. “Everyone is scoreboard watching, the players and the fans.”