BOSTONJosh Beckett rebounded from a horrendous outing in his last start to dominate the light-hitting Mariners at Fenway Park Tuesday afternoon. The Red Sox swept the two-game series with a 5-0 win, giving them a five-game win streak.
Becketts outing also gave the Sox five consecutive quality starts for the first time this season and the first time since they had eight in a row May 2229, 2011. Tim Wakefield, who was honored before todays game, began the streak last season, and Beckett had the last start in that streak.
Against the Mariners, who entered the game hitting just .235 as a team, better than only Oaklands .218 in the American League, Beckett went seven scoreless innings, giving up four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts, to improve to 3-4, dropping his ERA a full run from 5.97 to 4.97.
David Ortiz got the Sox on the scoreboard in the third with his eighth home run of the season, a one-out solo shot on a 3-2 fastball into the Sox bullpen. It was the 386th home run of his career, moving him past Dwight Evans for sole possession of 56th on baseballs all-time list. (Next on the list is Johnny Bench with 389.)
In the fourth, Cody Ross walked with one out, went to third on Daniel Navas single and scored on Mike Aviles double, with Nava scoring on Ryan Sweeneys groundout to second base.
The Sox added another run in the fifth when Ortiz led off with a bunt down the third base line, took second on Adrian Gonzalezs fielders choice, and scored on Will Middlebrooks single to left.
In the eighth, Mike Aviles two-out double scored Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Boston Red Sox
The Sox bullpen turned in another solid performance as Rich Hill pitched a perfect eighth and Alfredo Aceves did the same in the ninth.
With the win, the Sox improve to 17-19.