Beckett flips script, dominates Rays

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BOSTON -- Josh Beckett's start Friday couldn't have been any different than his last one -- which was good for the Red Sox.

But Beckett's stuff isn't the same as it once was -- which could prove problematic in the long run.

Either way, there was no arguing with the results in the home opener. Beckett went eight innings and allowed just one run on three hits as the Sox walloped the Tampa Bay Rays 12-2.

In stark contrast to last week when he was hammered for seven runs -- including five homers -- in just 4 23 innings, Beckett breezed through the Rays' order again and again.

"That,'' concluded Bobby Valentine, ''was just what the doctor ordered.''

And indeed, for a team which didn't get a quality start in its first six games from anyone not named Jon Lester, the Sox welcomed such an outing.

After limiting the Rays to a run in the second after a leadoff single by Ben Zobrist and a double from Jeff Keppinger, Beckett settled in and set down 21 of the next 24 hitters he faced.

"That ended up being big (limiting them to a run),'' said Beckett. "You obviously don't want to be too far behind when David Price is pitching. It was nice to limit that damage.''

"We were wondering and hoping (after the Detroit start),'' said Valentine, "and he relieved all doubt. He threw great curve balls, had terrific control...That's the performance he was kind of looking for. The home opener, and everything else combined, that was the perfect outing.''

The Rays collected just two more hits and three more baserunners after Keppinger's double, and Beckett, with 94 pitches after eight innings, was going to be given the chance to throw a complete game before the Sox took more than a half-hour and tacked on eight runs in the bottom of the inning.

It's worth noting, too, just how Beckett was so effective. His fastball never topped 92 mph and for much of the afternoon, sat between 88-90.

Clearly, this is not the same Beckett who was once the prototypical power pitcher, capable of throwing his fastball at 95 mph-plus and overpowering hitters when necessary.

Beckett relied mostly on an assortment of off-speed pitches early, taking advantage of the Rays' aggressiveness at the plate to induce contact.

It wasn't until the eighth inning that Beckett registered his first strikeout, thereby extending his streak of 281 straight starts with at least one strikeout.

"I don't feel like I'm throwing 85 mph,'' said Beckett. "I definitely don't throw 95 mph as consistently as I used to. I'd like to think that my arm strength is going to get back there and I'll be touching 95 again. (But until I do), you definitely have to locate a little bit better and getting ahead is a little bit more important because you're not going to be able to throw balls by guys down the middle.''

Most power pitchers have the make the transition eventually. Pedro Martinez did it, and so have others. Whether Beckett can regularly do more with less could be one the fascinating story lines of the season. It may not be an overstatement to suggest that the success of the Red Sox' rotation could be riding on his ability to do what he did Friday.

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