Projo Sox Blog

BY JOE McDONALD
Journal Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Tex. -- Josh Beckett has become known as "The Stopper" during his tenure in Boston. Especially this season.

Heading into Tuesday night's game, the Red Sox ace was 6-0 with a 1.81 ERA in his last 10 starts following a Red Sox loss. His presence on the mound Tuesday couldn't have come at a better time for the reeling Sox, who entered the game riding a three-game losing streak and had dropped into a tie for first in the A.L. East with the surging Yankees.

But things are so bad for the Red Sox right now that even "The Stopper" couldn't stop their skid.

Beckett pitched well enough to win most nights, but the suddenly feeble Boston offense (only 12 runs scored in the five games after the All-Star break) is misfiring to the point where the Sox almost need a shutout to win. Beckett didn't throw one, and the Sox' losing streak has reached four -- its longest of the season, and the franchise's longest since June 2008 -- with a 4-2 defeat to the Texas Rangers.

It also dropped the Sox out of first place in the division for the first time since June 8.
Prior to Tuesday's game, Beckett had won four of his last five starts, including a no-decision. He hadn't suffered a loss since June 14. In his last outing prior to the All-Star break, he tossed a complete-game three-hitter en route to a victory over the Royals.

He couldn't continue that streak here. He worked eight innings and allowed four runs on seven hits. While he did his job, the Sox' hitters didn't do theirs.

After Texas starter Tommy Hunter retired Boston in order in the top of the first inning, the Rangers wasted little time getting to Beckett.

Ian Kinsler led off the home half of the first with a double down the left-field line. Beckett recorded the next two outs before issuing a walk to Andruw Jones. The Rangers successfully applied the double steal, putting both runners in scoring position, and Hank Blalock delivered them both with a two-run single to right-center field.

After that hit, Beckett settled in nicely and retired the next 14 batters he faced until Michael Young collected a one-out single to center in the bottom of the sixth inning. Still, the Sox' ace was able to work out of that, too, getting Josh Hamilton to hit into a 4-3-6-4 double play.

By that time the Sox had cut the deficit to 2-1. Dustin Pedroia battled Hunter in a 10-pitch at-bat (five foul balls) until producing a single to right with two outs. Kevin Youkilis followed with a RBI double, giving Boston its first run.

Hunter was lifted after six innings, allowing only one run on four hits and throwing only 85 pitches (58 strikes).

Getting to the Rangers' bullpen with only a one-run deficit should have been a good thing for the Sox, but they couldn't come up with a timely hitin the seventh. With runners on first and second and one out, Jason Varitek struck out and Jed Lowrie popped out.

In the bottom of the inning Beckett allowed a leadoff double to Jones, followed by a single from Blalock, putting runners on the corners with no out. Former Red Sox prospect, and current Rangers outfielder, David Murphy provided a sacrifice fly to left that scored Jones to give Texas a 3-1 advantage. Beckett struck out Jarrod Saltalamacchia to end the inning.

The Rangers added a little bit of insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning when Hamilton provided two-out, a RBI single.

The Sox pushed across a run in the top of the ninth inning on Mike Lowell's RBI single, but it wasn't enough.

On a night when Beckett worked well enough to win, the Sox' bats went silent again.

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