MLB resume: Beckett impressive in return for Red Sox

Sports & RecreationsSports

  • Author Brian Smith
  • Published June 17, 2007
  • Word count 412

Washington, U.S. (AP) - Josh Beckett returned to the mound for Boston, and pitched as if he hadn't missed an inning. "It's not about one player. It's not about one pitcher," first baseman Kevin Youkilis said after his homer helped Beckett win his eighth consecutive decision, a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night. Boston has opened an 11 1/2-game lead in the AL East _ even without Beckett, who missed two starts with a torn flap of skin on his right middle finger. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees are finding different ways to lose every night. Aaron Hill stole home, helping the Toronto Blue Jays send the Yankees to their fifth straight loss with a 3-2 victory. The Yankees (21-29) have lost 13 of 18 to fall eight games under .500 for the first time since they were 11-19 on May 6, 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. "It seems like we're losing every way possible, and tonight was no different," Johnny Damon said. In other AL games, it was: Detroit 14, Tampa Bay 2; Baltimore 6, Kansas City 2; Minnesota 9, Chicago 2; Texas 4, Oakland 0; and Los Angeles 4, Seattle 1. At Boston, Beckett (8-0) faced the minimum number of batters in the first six innings before allowing two runs in the seventh. "He looks like a guy who hadn't missed a game," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "We were hoping to make him work a little harder and maybe get him out of there a little earlier, but he had it all going tonight." Beckett struck out seven and walked one to become the first Red Sox starter to win his first eight decisions since Roger Clemens opened the 1986 season 14-0. Hideki Okajima pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Beckett won his first seven starts before a no-decision on May 13, when he lasted four innings because of the finger injury. "It made it a lot easier knowing that we were playing as well as we were," Beckett said. "I think we were smart with this thing. Dr. (Thomas) Gill and those guys, they stopped at nothing to make sure that we nipped this thing in the bud." Jeremy Sowers (1-5), coming off his only win of the year, allowed four runs and six hits over 5 2-3 innings. Youkilis doubled and homered _ his ninth consecutive multihit game, the most by a Red Sox since Jim Rice in 1978. He extended his hitting streak to 21 games. Youkilis hit an RBI double in the first and led off the sixth with a homer.

More info about MLB resume

Article source: https://articlebiz.com
This article has been viewed 842 times.

Rate article

This article has a 5 rating with 5 votes.

Article comments

There are no posted comments.

Related articles