Sox offense ‘not working'

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DETROIT -- It's impossible to lay the blame anywhere else but on Josh Beckett for Saturday's 10-0 shellacking by the Detroit Tigers. Beckett was shelled for five homers and seven runs in just 4 23 innings.

But after two games, the Red Sox offense is lacking, too. In 18 innings so far, they've scored just two runs and both of those came in the same inning -- the ninth inning on Opening Day against Tigers' closer Jose Valverde.

That means the Sox' offense has been held scoreless in 17 of the 18 innings to date.

"We've got to do a better job,'' said catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who authored the only extra-base hit the Sox got yesterday, smacking a leadoff double in the third. "We've got to get guys on base, we've got some get some runs. We've got to get these pitchers some room to breathe so they can go out there and pitch a little more comfortable.''

In the two games to date, Red Sox hitters are hitting a collective .188 and have just two hits in 12 at-bats with runners in scoring position. They've stranded 12 baserunners in two games and have struck out 19 times in two games.

Kevin Youkilis, the No. 5 hitter in the lineup, is hitless in eight at-bats and has struck out four times. He's gotten the ball out of the infield just once in two games.

"I haven't had good at-bats,'' admitted Youkilis. "But, hey, in 162 games, you're going to have two bad games. These are two bad ones. Hopefully, after the two bad ones, I start
clicking real well and helping this team win.''

"I guess we've got to come back and make better adjustments,'' said DH David Ortiz, who's had some good at-bats with three hits and sacrifice fly in the two games. "It's going to happen. Everybody's adrenaline is high right now and wants to do good. That's part of the game.''

With just three bench players available to him thanks to a 13-man pitching staff, it's not like manager Bobby Valentine has the flexibility to try a lot of different things.

But, clearly, something has to change.

"We definitely have to make some adjustments,'' said Saltalamacchia. "What we're doing now is not working.''

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