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Red Sox-Royals Preview

Apr 10, 2010 - 5:15 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Boston (1-2) at Kansas City (1-2), 7:10 p.m. EDT

His career-worst opening day start behind him, Josh Beckett gets a chance to snap the Boston Red Sox' three-game losing streak. He should have plenty of opportunities to take the mound for the Red Sox over the next few years.

Making his first start Saturday since signing a four-year extension, Beckett looks to maintain his perfect career record against the Kansas City Royals, who will try to give reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke more support than in his first start.

In a 94-pitch outing that lasted just 4 2/3 innings, Beckett did not factor in the decision in Sunday's 9-7 season-opening victory over the New York Yankees, yielding five runs and eight hits while walking three.

The 29-year-old right-hander had allowed four runs combined in his first four career opening day starts.

"It just came down to making pitches when you need to, and time and time again, I couldn't do that," Beckett told the Red Sox' official Web site. "Unfortunately, that got me a high pitch count and I was behind in the count. I had to give into some pretty good hitters and they made me pay."

On Monday, Beckett got paid. The former World Series MVP and Cy Young Award runner-up would have been a free agent in the offseason, but he signed a four-year, $68 million deal to extend his stay in Boston. Beckett, acquired from Florida in November 2005, did not push for a fifth season, which is something Red Sox right-hander John Lackey received in the offseason.

"A lot of people look at what you lost. I look at what I gained," Beckett said. "I look at four more years of stability, knowing I'm going to be on a winning team. The season gets old when you're losing 90 games. I know I'm going to have a chance to win every year here."

Winning is all he's done against Kansas City (2-2) in seven career starts, going 5-0 with a 2.03 ERA. He'll look to win his fourth straight start in Kansas City following Boston's third consecutive loss, 4-3 on Friday.

While the Royals try to reverse Beckett's fortunes at Kauffman Stadium, they'll also look to change Greinke's luck.

Leaving with a 4-2 lead in Monday's season-opener, the 26-year-old righty was denied the victory after Roman Colon, Robinson Tejeda and Juan Cruz yielded six hits to Detroit in a six-run seventh inning. Greinke allowed just two runs and six hits over six.

"We've got to get somebody to take the ball and give us what we need in the seventh and eighth inning," manager Trey Hillman told the teams' official Web site following the 8-4 loss. "It's our responsibility to get the guys we have over the hump."

The Royals' bullpen blew three saves and went 1-2 with a 13.50 ERA in the season-opening series versus the Tigers, but Kansas City's relievers combined for three scoreless innings Friday.

The bullpen has also been a question mark for the Red Sox (1-3). Right-hander Daniel Bard suffered his second straight blown save Friday, giving up a two-run, go-ahead single to Rick Ankiel, who finished 4 for 4 with a solo home run and three RBIs.

"They scrapped together a couple of runs when they needed it," Bard said. "When you make a decent pitch, you hope you get a better result, but it doesn't always happen."

Ankiel is 8 for 20 with two homers lifetime versus Boston. He has never faced Beckett.