OAKLAND, Calif. -- If Daniel Bard continues to have the type of success he’s been enjoying in his big-league career with the Boston Red Sox, that may just be enough to keep closer Jonathan Papelbon around.

It’s no secret both relievers are effective when they piggyback each other in a game. Basically, the Red Sox have two well-above average closers to finish off opponents. After Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka worked 6 2/3 innings and allowed only one run on two hits against the Oakland Athletics on Monday night, Bard entered the game with two runners on as Boston held a 2-1 advantage.

Bard stifled the rally and got Oakland’s Gabe Gross to pop out to third baseman Adrian Beltre.

Bard worked a total of 1 1/3 innings and allowed one hit with one walk and one strikeout. The hard-throwing right-hander has not surrendered a run in 12 straight outings.

Papelbon was summoned from the bullpen in the ninth and retired the A’s in order to record his 21st save of the season as Boston defeated Oakland 2-1. The right-hander has converted 34 of his past 37 save opportunities, dating back to last season.

Unlike other homegrown players in the Red Sox organization who have signed long-term deals to stay in Boston, Papelbon has decided to negotiate on a yearly basis before he reaches free-agent status following the 2011 season.

The thinking is he will sign with the highest bidder when that time comes, with Bard the likely closer of the future for the Red Sox.

Papelbon also realizes staying in Boston with Bard could end up being something special too.

“I think we have the potential to be a very good 1-2 punch,” Papelbon said. “The good thing about it is we have the potential to be a good 1-2 punch for a lot of years. Depending with what happens in the next year or so with me, I think right now, in my opinion, as far as the game of baseball goes with relief pitchers, I think me and him make a pretty damn good 1-2 punch.

“You’re always going to look at what team and what city you’re going to be the most successful at, and you need to take that into consideration when the time comes,” added Papelbon. “The people who you are surrounded by is what’s going to make you be good.”

No matter what happens with Papelbon once the closer hits free agency, Red Sox manager Terry Francona knows he currently has two of the premier relievers in the game.

“He’s been doing this for a while now. We’ve grown accustomed to it,” Francona said. “You hand him the ball and you know he’s ready to pitch. I think he’s excited about having a couple of days during the All-Star break to regroup and he’s ready to go. Having him and Bard at the end are certainly a couple of big weapons.”

Papelbon believes he’s throwing the ball the best he has all season and he’s ready to ramp it up even more in the second half.

“Yeah, I think so,” he said. “My legs are underneath me in my delivery and my hands behind the baseball. That’s me. That’s my delivery at its best. I think this second half is huge for me. I started off the second half in a good direction.

“The break for me was more good mentally than physically,” he added. “I hadn’t been used a whole lot this first half, so it’s not like my body needed a break, but mentally it was a very much-needed break.”