Beckett Improves To 4-0 Against Yankees
BOSTON (CBS) – Last season, it was a struggle for Josh Beckett against the Yankees. This year, it is nearly a sure-thing the Red Sox righty will come away with the win.
Beckett improved to 4-0 against New York Wednesday night, becoming the first Red Sox pitcher to beat the Yankees four times in a season since Al Nipper did it back in 1987.
"It's tough to do," Beckett said after the game. "Ask me that in November, I'll probably have a different answer. Right now we're just trying to win games. They are such a good team."
Beckett did not have his best outing, allowing five runs (four earned) over seven innings, but after Boston retook the lead in the sixth inning he shut down the Yankees in order. Beckett set down Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira to preserve the lead, letting the bullpen take it from there.
"I'm just trying to make pitches through the two, three, four in their lineup. You know it's going to be tough," Beckett said.
"This is a guy we've relied on for so long now, and we were hoping he would come back with vengeance and he has," manager Terry Francona said. "He's been so consistent and so consistently good. It's important in this game that you know what you're getting. He's been that way all year."
2010 was a struggle for Beckett against New York. He was just 1-2 with a 10.04 ERA as the Yankees pounded him for a .339 average. This year, Beckett has a 1.85 ERA to go with the four wins, allowing just seven runs in 34 innings while striking out 38.
The Red Sox have won all five of Beckett's starts against New York, but he knows they would not have gotten the W on Wednesday without a lot of help.
"I might get the win next to my name… but guys that probably stuck out all year, they stuck out again (last night)," Beckett said of Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz, who both hit key two-run home runs in the 9-5 win.
Now 12-5 on the season, Beckett said there is a little extra motivation when taking the mound against Boston's biggest rival.
"Yeah, that's a good assessment," he said. "The Yankees-Red Sox thing has been here before I got here for a long time, and it'll be here long after I'm here. The big key, and I think you can talk to most of their guys and our guys, the big thing is we're both really good teams, and there's a reason why you've got to play these games a little bit differently."
The Red Sox now have a chance to take the series on Thursday, with Jon Lester going against AJ Burnett. Boston owns a 1.5 game lead over New York in the AL East, but need to take every opportunity to add to it.
"We may be ahead of them, and you can say they have to keep pace with us. But we have to keep pace with them as well," said Beckett.
