Josh Beckett did not skip a beat after coming off the disabled list to hurl a masterpiece helping the Boston Red Sox (36-15) beat the Cleveland Indians (31-19) for their fifth straight win 4-2.
Missing his last two starts due to an avulsion, Beckett threw seven strong innings, on three hits, two earned runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts picking up his eighth win of the season.
While Beckett had every answer for the Indians it seems no one has an answer for Kevin Youkilis.
Youkilis doubled and homered extending his hitting streak to 21 games and his ninth consecutive multi-hit game. Youk is currently hitting .358 on the season.
Julio Lugo scored on Youkilis’ double in the bottom of the first and it was all Beckett from there on out.
Beckett threw six consecutive scoreless innings until he finally let up two runs in the top of the seventh.
The Red Sox posted one more run in the fifth on a Jason Varitek homerun off of Jeremy Sowers (1-5) deep to left field that completely left the park extending the lead to 2-0.
Youkilis picked up his second hit of the night with his eighth homerun of the season off of Sowers in the sixth. The Sox also scored on a bases loaded walk that plated Mike Lowell putting the Sox on top 3-0.
Indians hitters only got to Beckett in the seventh plating two runs on a Travis Hafner RBI triple and a Victor Martinez fielders choice.
Hideki Okajima saved his fourth game of the season in the ninth giving Jonathan Papelbon a day off from throwing.
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