9 Out Of 10 Ain't Bad

The Red Sox didn't get a season sweep from the Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, as Josh Beckett pitched five solid innings before the roof caved in and the Angels won, 7-2.

David Ortiz hit a solo home run in the fourth of Ervin Santana and it stayed that way until the 6th. Then, Beckett got hammered: two doubles, a single and a three run homer by Hideki Matsui. All of the hits were rockets, and it was 4-1.

The first five innings really looked like Beckett had turned the corner. He was never in trouble, and had allowed just two hits. But was gone after one out in the 7th, and Terry Francona had the brilliant idea of bringing in Manny Delcarmen. Three walks later it was 6-1, and an infield hit after that it was 7-1, and in the immortal words of Warner Wolf, you could turn your sets off there. I did.

It was the third straight start Beckett has given up six earned runs or more. And this was on a day when New York won, so the Red Sox are now 6 1/2 games back in the East. Tampa Bay lost in Oakland later on, so the Wild Card deficit remains at 5 1/2 games.

The Red Sox also put their 19th player on the DL for 2010 before the game, as Jarrod Saltalamacchia went on with an infection in his right leg. Dusty Brown was called up just before the game. Dustin Pedroia was a late stratch before last night's contest, as he felt some soreness in his recently-healed foot. Sounds like nothing to worry about, and he should be in tonight's lineup, when the Red Sox take on the Blue Jays for three at Fenway, with Jon Lester taking on Brett Cecil.