Josh Beckett Cruises in Red Sox Win

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett stifled the Detroit Tigers, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning in leading his team to victory. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)" title="Beckett dominated the Tigers, leading the Red Sox to victory" width="296" height="512" />

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett stifled the Detroit Tigers, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning in leading his team to victory. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

 

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, Detroit Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson lined a fastball into right field for a single, moving Magglio Ordonez, who had reached on a walk, to second base.

Just like that, Boston Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett’s bid for a no-hitter was broken.

His offense gave him a lead to work with before he took the mound. Second baseman Dustin Pedroia, newly inserted into the leadoff spot, nailed the first fastball he saw from Armando Gallaraga for a single.

Right fielder J.D. Drew, who was also part of the lineup’s reconstruction, was next. Gallaraga missed with a fastball, then twirled in a nasty changeup for a strike. For remainder of the plate appearance, Drew saw nothing but sliders.

The fourth hung in the strike-zone, and Drew’s eyes lit up. He deposited the offering over the right field fence for his 200th career home run.

Beckett, staked a two-run advantage and went to work.

His fastball was lively, consistently hurled at 95 miles-per-hour, while his curveball proved to be an adequate sidekick with a 12-to-6 break that devastated the Tigers lineup.

His attempt for a perfect game was thwarted early by walking the ever so patient career .304 hitter Placido Polanco after a nine-pitch battle. He took this in stride, as he proceeded to retire the next 18 hitters.

He was literally unhittable, befuddling hitters with his fastball-curveball combination.

In the meantime, Boston’s offense kept backing him up. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury continued his success at the plate this season, lacing a one-out, fifth inning single on a lifeless Gallaraga fastball.

Ellsbury’s batting average increased to .306, but did little to improve .346 on-base percentage. Because he is a threat on the basepaths, however, an otherwise paltry on-base percentage is sufficient. He rarely walks, primarily because “[pitchers] aren’t throwing you many balls, they don’t want you on the basepaths—they’re not going to pitch around me.”

Since he has just 12 walks on the season, he needs to keep collecting hits like this to make an impact.

Ellsbury made the most of his time on base. Time and time again, he toys with the opposing pitcher, only to show off his blistering speed by swiping second or third, or race home from first on a double in the gap.

Shortstop Nick Green, after Gallaraga kept Ellsbury in check by throwing over to first, waited for the gift-wrapped hanging slider to drop into his wheelhouse, then crushed it deep into right-center.

Ellsbury flew around second, and was at third base once the ball was collected by Ordonez. His throw to the infield was in mid-flight when Ellsbury prepared to slide into home plate.

He popped up, dusted himself off, clapped his hands, then was congratulated by Pedroia. Just another spectacular display put on by the fastest player in the majors.

Nothing exciting—except for Polanco’s single—happened until the eighth inning. Eleven combined runs were scored in the frame. Luckily, the Red Sox scored six of them.

First baseman Kevin Youkilis plated the first with a double. Then, three hitters later, David Ortiz showed signs of life, lacing a two-run double to deep center.

Catcher and captain Jason Varitek did his best Ortiz impersonation, driving in two with a double of his own. Ellsbury tallied another single, which allowed Varitek to score on an impending ground-out by Green.

The Boston lead was now 10.

Oddly enough, this lead soon seemed too small.

The Tigers had two runners on with two-out when the floodgates opened. Clete Thomas crisply hit a grounder to Pedroia. Last season’s Gold Glove winner tried to get the lead runner, but, with Gerald Laird closing in on second base, his decision was not wise.

Without time to waste, he hurried a flip to Green, who couldn’t corral the toss in mid-air. The ball trickled into the outfield grass, where it sat for countless seconds.

This allowed Ramon Santiago to score. Now, Beckett’s bid for a shutout was gone.

His outing was done after a strikeout of Polanco, who rarely does so.

Though the game was played in Detroit, Boston’s fans filled the seats. Beckett walked off the mound emotionless to a standing ovation. His fans, along with a select few Tigers’ fans who respected his domination of their team, were boisterous. Some even bowed in reverence as he neared the dugouts steps.

A win still needed to be closed out, which, surprisingly, was a tall order.

The hard-throwing and highly-touted Daniel Bard took Beckett’s place on the mound, but didn’t fare as well as his predecessor, to no fault of his own. Pedroia’s error resonated in the heads of Green and Mike Lowell, as the infielders that manned the left side of the diamond followed suit.

Josh Anderson, pinch-hitting for Ordonez, hit a dribbler to Green. The Red Sox shortstop, who had already committed eight errors on the season, committed a costly ninth. He bobbled the ball, then, upon regrouping, whipped the throw to Youkilis.

This is when every Red Sox fan, the team’s brass, and the players that were nonchalantly shooting the breeze in the dugout let out a yelp of discontent. It was the definition of an “oh-no” moment: Anderson touched the bag, then clumsily tripped over Youkilis foot, which was firmly station on the edge of the base, and dug his cleat into the ankle of Youkilis.

The first baseman rid himself of the ball, then threw his glove aggressively to the ground in pain. He fell to the dirt. The first thought that raced through my mind was a ruptured Achilles tendon, which would quite possibly be season-ending.

Boston’s training staff rushed to his aid, tending to what manager Terry Francona deemed a bone bruise after the game.

Youkilis walked gingerly off the field, into the dugout, and down the tunnel towards the clubhouse. But before his teammates could check on him, the Red Sox still had a win to close out.

Miguel Cabrera made this difficult, and roped a hot-shot to Lowell. The screaming grounder ate up the third baseman, allowing Cabrera to reach and Laird to score.

Granderson followed, depositing a straight, predictable fastball from Bard into the right-center gap, clearing the bases for a triple. The inning ended on a groundout by Jeff Larish, but a 10-0 lead was cut in half.

Takashi Saito relieved Bard for the bottom of the ninth, and did his best to throw away a once sure win. He walked the first two hitters then, after retiring the next two hitters, nailed Polanco with a pitch to load the bases.

If Anderson could reach, Cabrera would have a chance to tie the game. Instead, Anderson, after his clumsy episode injured Youkilis, got what he deserved, flying out to end the threat and the game.

This game had it all: a near no-hitter, a freak injury, three errors in the final two innings by the Red Sox, and, inconceivably, glimpse of hope for the Tigers.

It was only a hope, as Boston pulled out the frenetic victory.