Beckett Wins 10th With Shutout Over Atlanta

Josh Beckett became the second 10 game winner with 6 shutout innings as the Sox beat the Braves in front of another sold out crowd at Turner Field. Beckett may have gone longer but a 48 minute rain delay chased him from the game. He even helped his own cause out with a RBI double that scored Alex Cora. Every Sox starter had at least one hit except for J.D. Drew. Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek each had two hits.

Hudson was strong for the first 3 innings as Youk was the only batter to reach base. Youk was retired when Varitek hit into a double play. Meanwhile Beckett had a little trouble in the first inning. After Kelly Johnson struck out, Willie Harris lined a double to deep center. Edgar Renteria got him over to third on a ground out to Cora at short. Chipper Jones drew a walk but Beckett got last night’s hero, Brian McCann, to fly out to Drew in right to end the inning.

Atlanta managed a couple of runners in the 3rd inning but couldn’t push anything across the plate. Hudson flew out to Manny to lead off the inning and Johnson drew a walk. Beckett got Harris on some high cheese but Renteria reached on an infield single. Beckett got Chipper to ground out to end the threat.

The Sox finally struck for a run in the 4th inning. Drew reached on a error by Renteria. With Pedroia at the plate, Drew was thrown out trying to steal second although it looked like a hit-and-run was on and Pedroia couldn’t make contact. Pedroia ended up grounding out to Chipper. Big Papi then took a Hudson offering and planted it in the left field seats for his 12th homer of the year. The homer put the Sox up 1-0. Manny followed Big Papi with a single and Youk hit a double, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. Varitek was intentionally walked by Hudson, loading up the bases for Coco. Unfortunately Coco couldn’t get the job done as he grounded out to second.

Boston struck for two more in the 5th. Cora led off with a triple and came around to score when Beckett lined a double to the gap in left center. Drew flew out to center and Beckett being the excellent runner, advanced to third. Beckett came around to score on Pedroia single. Big Papi and Manny both flew out for the last outs of the inning.

Beckett was still cruising along. He had set down six in a row before Johnson singled in 5th. One of those he retired was Hudson on a flyball that Super Coco flew thru the air to catch. How many times have we seen this, this year?

The Sox chased Hudson from the game in the 6th inning. Youk started off the inning grounding out to Hudson. Varitek hit a double to centerfield and Super Coco hit a single advancing ‘Tek to third. That was the last batter Hudson faced as Oscar Villareal came in and promptly allowed a run to come across the plate when Cora hit a sac fly. His sac fly gave the Sox a 4-0 lead.

Beckett allowed a hit to Renteria leading off the 6th but then retired the next 3 batters in a driving rain. A 48 minute rain delay knocked Beckett out of the game as he didn’t return when the Braves batted in the 7th inning.

Beckett’s line: 1-3, RBI. 6 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts on 88 pitches.

Kyle Synder replaced Beckett after the delay and set down the Braves in order in the 7th inning. He gave up a lead-off single to Johnson in the 8th and was replaced by Hideki “Darkman” Okajima. Darkman had a little trouble finding the plate as he walked Matt Diaz, who pinch-hit for Harris. Darkman then got Yunnel Escobar to ground into 5-4-3 double play. With Johnson at third base and 2 outs, Chipper grounded out to Youk ending the threat.

The Sox couldn’t manage anything in the 8th or 9th other than a Varitek single (8th) and Cora was hit by a Macay McBride offering (9th). Both were retired on double plays.

Texas Gal’s hero and mine also, Jonathan Papelbon came in for the 9th inning. He set the side down in the order perserving Beckett’s 10th win of the season.

The Sox now anxiously await the results of Curt Schilling’s MRI that he had earlier in the day. Yo-Yo takes the hill for the Sox as they try to win this series in Atlanta. Gametime is 7:35 PM.

Notes and Musings:

Tim Hudson has never done well against the Sox. He’s 3-9, with a 6.22 ERA in 11 starts against then and 0-6 with a 9.00 ERA in his past six starts vs. the Red Sox

Julian Tavarez was the last Red Sox pitcher not to have a strikeout in a game back on September 29, 2006.

Beckett’s double was his first since last year and 9th of his career.

Big Papi hasn’t hit a homer off a lefthanded pitcher. All but 2 have gone to rightfield.

Coco Crisp has played 114 games without an error in centerfield.

Brian McCann called timeout really late in two of his at-bats, pissing off the plate umpire the second time.

The Red Sox announced the signings of 4 more draft picks and 1 free agent.

Wily Mo Peña is 0 for 8 with 5 K’s as a pinch-hitter.

Don and Jerry found a drunk Sox fan (go figure) in the crowd and said he’d be perfect for Sox Appeal.

Andruw Jones misery against the Sox continued as he was 0 for 4.

Beckett has a 2.45 ERA in 15 starts against Atlanta, though only a 6-7 record.

Eck called Beckett “Mr Cy Young” during the postgame show.