Mike Lowell (four RBI, including a game-busting three-run home run in the fifth) and Josh Beckett, who overcame a three-run first inning and bore down after that led the Red Sox to a 6-4 victory over the Yankees.
Beckett (8-5) could not replicate the complete-game shutout JonLester hurled on Thursday night but more importantly, he preserved momentum created by that victory, which snapped the five-game losing skid on which the Red Sox arrived.
The Sox offense was not exactly thrown off by being put in an early 3-0 hole. With Darrell Rasner starting for the Yanks, the Sox waited until the third inning to pounce. After Lowell drove in one run with a sacrifice fly, Kevin Youkilis hit a line drive that pushed left fielder Johnny Damon hard into the left field wall. The ball popped out of his glove and plopped down on the padded top of the ball, and actually, weirdly and miraculously, lay there for a couple of seconds before the sway of the wall tipped it back onto the field of play. Youkilis made it to third base for a two-run triple, and the game was tied. Lowell’s three-run home run two innings later gave the Sox the cushion they needed for the win.
Beckett wound up going six innings and did not allow another run after the three-run first. He allowed just four hits, two coming in the first, and struck out four.
The bullen was effective, Manny Delcarmen cleaned up a two-walk, one-hit effort from Hideki Okajima in the seventh, waited out the rain delay and began the bottom of the eighth with a walk and an out. In came Javier Lopez, and a quick double-play ball snuffed out that scoring opportunity. In the bottom of the ninth, the umpires missed what should have been a game-ending, diving catch by Coco Crisp in center field, allowing the Yankees to add their fourth run. Finally, though, Jonathan Paplebon collected his 25th save.
Nation Notes: Dustin Pedroia has had eight multihit games during his 12-game hitting streak, including two four-hit games, and is one behind the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler in multihit games (33). Kinsler is Pedroia’s chief rival to start at second for the American League in the All-Star Game. Jacoby Ellsbury is now tied with Julio Lugo for bunt hits this season at 6. Pawtucket righthander Devern Hansack’s scoreless streak ended at 25 innings last night in a 7-6 victory over Lehigh Valley.
