Projo Sox Blog

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Following a 5-0 loss to the Angels in Game One of the ALDS on Thursday, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz stood in the corner of the visitor's clubhouse and said the team needed a quality start from ace Josh Beckett in Game Two.

It started off as a pitcher's duel between Beckett and Angels starter Jered Weaver, but in the end it was the home team's right-hander who won the battle as Los Angeles posted the victory and now has a 2-0 series lead.

Boston's Beckett suffered the loss after he finished 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with only one walk and three strikeouts.

He hadn't lost a playoff game since Game Three of the 2003 World Series, when he was with the Marlins.

"I felt good for six innings," said Beckett. "I made a couple of mistakes in a situation where you can't make mistakes."

Meanwhile, Weaver was excellent. He lasted 7 1/3 and allowed only one run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

"These two pitchers were matching each other pitch for pitch," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "But I thought Weaver did a really good job of staying focused and settling down. They didn't bunch too many hits together and that's a tribute to the way Jered pitched. That's a terrific offensive club over there and if you miss your spots, they're going to let you know. Fortunately for us we've matched Beckett pitch for pitch and we were able to break through late in the game"

It was Beckett's 14th career outing in October playoff baseball and he entered it with 7-2 record and a 2.90 ERA.

From the get-go both Beckett and Weaver were keeping their respective opponents off balance until each club score a run in the fourth inning.

The stalemate remained until the seventh.

Beckett uncharacteristically walked the leadoff batter, the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero, in the bottom of the inning. Scioscia decided to insert the speedy Howie Kendrick as a pinch-runner and it worked, as he stole second base. Beckett retired the next two batters he faced before Macier Izturis provided an RBI single up the middle to give the Angels a 2-1 advantage.

"I felt good [heading into the seventh]. "That leadoff walk is uncharacteristic of me. I just need to make pitches when I need to."

The Angels weren't done.

Catcher Mike Napoli leaned into a Beckett offering, was hit in the back and awarded first base. Beckett argued with home-plate umpire, CB Bucknor.

"Are you kidding me? He didn't try to get out of the way," Beckett clearly said on the replay.

After the game Beckett said he hadn't seen the replay yet, but he thought Napoli had plenty of time to get out of the way of his inside breaking ball.

"I didn't feel like it was going to hit him unless he leaned into it," said Beckett. "It really doesn't matter when the umpire doesn't want to listen to you."

With the Angels holding a one-run lead, two outs and two runners on and 45,223 fans in attendance going crazy, Beckett seemed a bit unnerved as he had control problems.

The Angels' No. 9 hitter, Erick Aybar, stepped into the box and with Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury playing in just a tad, Aybar was able to drive a lined shot to the warning track in deep center for a two-run triple.

Los Angeles now had a 4-1 lead and Red Sox manager Terry Francona came out of the dugout to end Beckett's outing.

"I thought he was good," said Francona.

If the Red Sox can stave off elimination as the series shifts back to Boston for Games Three and Four, it's possible Beckett could get another chance at these Angels in Game Five back here.

"We need to regroup," said Beckett. "We know what we've got to do now. We can't lose another one. It's not an ideal situation, but we know what we have to do. We have to win."

 Tags  Josh Beckett

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