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Carmona outduels Beckett as Indians dump Red Sox

Jul 26, 2007 - 3:48 AM By Todd Krepop PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CLEVELAND (Ticker) -- A year later, Fausto Carmona got his revenge.

Carmona pitched eight scoreless innings to lead the Cleveland Indians to a 1-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday.

It was the second consecutive 1-0 game the teams have played. On Tuesday Daisuke Matsuzaka outdueled C.C. Sabathia in Boston 's victory. Tonight it was Cleveland 's turn as Carmona led the way.

"It was very similar to last night," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Fausto was outstanding, and Beckett was outstanding."

It was the first time since April 17-18, 1942 that the Indians followed up a 1-0 loss with a 1-0 win.

The 23-year-old righthander stretched his scoreless innings streak to 18 as he held the team that tormented him last season to four hits while striking out six.

"It felt good against, especially against (Boston)," said Carmona through a translator. "I had some hard times against them last year. I knew it was a team I needed to bear down against and go after because of what happened last year. I didn't want it to happen again."

"He was throwing 94 to 96 with a tremendous amount of sink," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said. "He pitched tough to David and Manny. He made big pitches when he had to."

Carmona (13-4) was rocked last season in Boston as the closer for the Tribe. The righthander ended up blowing consecutive save chances on July 31 and August 2, giving up five runs on three hits, while walking two in one inning.

"I saw it on ESPN a couple of times," Indians closer Joe Borowski said. "I am sure he doesn't want to relive it.

It was part of a stretch for Carmona when he blew the only three save chances he had that season. After Carmona blew a save August 5, the Indians took him out of the closer's role and eventually sent him down to Class AAA to work back into a starter's role where he has thrived this season.

"I can't say enough about him," Wedge said. "It didn't work out in the closer role, but he utilized his experiences well. Talk about a young player about toughness and getting the most out of his experiences. What he has done for us this year has been as valuable as anything to our ballclub."

Carmona's 13 wins are tied for most in the majors and his 3.31 ERA is ninth in the American League. The 23-year-old righthander has gone 5-0 in the month of July with a 1.57 ERA.

"You can't say enough about what he has done starting this year," Borowski said. "I think he will take what he has done this year over that short, unfortunate things that happened last year."

Franklin Gutierrez's solo home run in the third gave the Indians a 1-0 lead. Gutierrez blasted a 1-0 pitch from Josh Beckett over the left field wall for his sixth blast of the season.

"It was a fastball right down the middle," Beckett said. "I felt good with the results except for one pitch."

Beckett (13-4), like Sabathia the night before, failed to become the majors' first 14-game winner on the season. The righthander allowed only the one run on three hits in eight innings while striking out seven as he retired 16 of the last 17 batters to pick up his first complete game in 60 starts.

"To me, it was one of the best games Josh has had," Varitek said. "His command was good. He used his curveball and changeup and located his fastball."

"It's good to hear (Varitek) to say that, but it's tough to compare a loss with wins," Beckett said. "I lost the game."

For the first six innings Carmona was unhittable, but his bid to become the third pitcher in the majors to throw a no-hitter this season ended in the sixth when Coco Crisp singled on an infield hit. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta made a diving stop, but could not throw out the speedy Crisp.

"I wasn't thinking about the (no-hitter)," Carmona said.

Two batters later, with Crisp on second and two outs, David Ortiz singled into shallow right field. Second baseman Josh Barfield made a backhanded stab at the ball and threw home to nail Crisp at the plate as catcher Victor Martinez blocked the plate.

"I knew I didn't have a play at first," Barfield said. "I was watching Crisp the whole way."

Carmona ran into trouble again in the eighth, but Martinez made sure his battery mate would get the win.

Martinez threw out Jason Varitek on a botched hit-and-run for the second out of the inning, and after an infield single, Martinez threw out pinch runner Julio Lugo attempting to steal second on Carmona's 113th pitch of the night.

"I was very proud of Victor throwing out those two guys out," Carmona said.

Borowski finished off the gem with a perfect ninth to pick up his 29th save in 31 opportunities.

Slugger David Ortiz returned to the lineup after missing the past four games with a strained left shoulder. The All-Star went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, popping out to short for the game's final out.