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Red Sox-Braves Preview

Jun 26, 2009 - 5:28 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Boston (44-27) at Atlanta (34-37), 7:35 p.m. EDT

Josh Beckett started a four-game winning streak for the Boston Red Sox by shutting out the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.

After that run was abruptly halted Thursday, the AL-leading Red Sox hope their ace can spark another string of victories when they open a three-game set at Turner Field on Friday night.

Beckett cruised through the Braves' lineup last weekend, needing 94 pitches to finish his first complete game of the year. He allowed five singles and struck out seven without a walk.

"I thought he did everything," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He was economical. That was fun to watch."

The right-hander is 5-0 with a 0.45 ERA in his last six starts against Atlanta, holding the Braves without a run in five of those outings. Chipper Jones is 5 for 28 (.179) with seven strikeouts against Beckett, while Brian McCann is 3 for 14 (.214)

Most hitters have been struggling with Beckett (8-3, 3.74 ERA) lately. He has won six of his last seven decisions and has a 1.44 ERA in his last six starts.

Friday will be his final chance to bat in the regular season. In his only previous plate appearances this year, he was 1 for 3 with a home run at Philadelphia on June 14.

Regardless of his performance at the plate, Beckett figures to give Boston (44-28) a good chance to rebound from an ugly 9-3 loss at Washington on Thursday.

In that game, former Braves great John Smoltz struggled in his debut with the team and his return to the majors from shoulder surgery.

"I was excited," Francona said. "I know it was a tough game, but if (Smoltz) throws the ball like that, if he feels like that physically, he's going to be just fine."

The Red Sox still hold a four-game lead in the AL East after winning two out of three against the lowly Nationals. They've won 16 of 22 overall, losing back-to-back games just once over that span.

They also took two of three from the Braves at Fenway Park last weekend, improving to 10-3 in their last 13 against Atlanta. They scored five runs - two earned - in 6 1-3 innings off Jair Jurrjens in a 6-5 win in the finale Sunday.

David Ortiz, who returned to the cleanup spot in Boston's lineup Thursday, went 2 for 3 with a home run against the right-hander.

Jurrjens (5-5, 2.89) didn't get the loss in that game, as Boston shortstop Nick Green won it with a walk-off home run in the ninth inning, but the right-hander is still looking for his first victory of June. He's 0-3 with a 3.80 ERA this month.

He'll try to pick up a staff that allowed a total of 19 runs in the last two games of the Braves' series against the New York Yankees this week, losing both. The team's bullpen has thrown 12 innings in those games.

Atlanta, which had earned back-to-back shutout victories against the Cubs and Yankees on Monday and Tuesday, gave up a season-high 16 hits in Thursday's 11-7 defeat.

"It's frustrating because we had a chance to win a series for the first time in a long time," right-hander Derek Lowe said. "We go out and get shelled again."

The fourth-place Braves (34-38) haven't won a series since sweeping Toronto at home from May 22-24. They are 11-18 since, but remain just four games behind struggling Philadelphia in the NL East.