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Beckett shows no ill effects in first start back

May 30, 2007 - 2:04 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Josh Beckett took back his rightful place in the Boston Red Sox rotation on Tuesday.

Beckett shook off 15 days of rust with seven strong innings and Kevin Youkilis continued his assault on American League pitching to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 4-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians.

Jason Varitek homered and rookie Dustin Pedroia drew a bases-loaded walk as the Red Sox picked up their fifth straight win.

Beckett (8-0), who began the season with wins in each of his first seven starts, left his start on May 13 against Baltimore in the fourth inning with an avulsion on the middle finger of his right hand. The injury forced him to the 15-day disabled list until the skin on his finger had healed.

In the outing that led to his eventual 15-day absence, Beckett yielded two hits and two runs with seven strikeouts over four frames.

Beckett entered Tuesday's start 0-2 in his career with a 13.97 ERA in two starts - both last season - against Cleveland, but allowed just two runs and three hits Tuesday. Beckett struck out seven and issued just one walk.

Youkilis continued his recent tear, bashing a solo homer off Cleveland starter Jeremy Sowers (1-5) in the sixth inning to push Boston's advantage to 3-0. The Red Sox's first baseman had two hits and two RBI on Tuesday, marking the ninth straight game he has at least two hits.

The last Boston player to have nine straight multi-hit games was Jim Rice from May 1-9, 1978. Youkilis now leads the AL with 25 multi-hit games and has at least one hit in 21 straight contests.

The Red Sox jumped on Sowers early, when Youkilis doubled home Julio Lugo in the first inning to get on the board first.

From that point, Sowers held Boston scoreless until Varitek led off the fifth with a homer over the wall in left. Youkilis' homer came leading off the sixth frame, and after two quick outs, Mike Lowell doubled to chase Sowers from the game.

The Indians' 24-year-old lefthander tossed 5 2/3 innings, yielding four runs and six hits.

Cleveland finally got to Beckett in the seventh. Jhonny Peralta hit a one-out single to right field, and Travis Hafner followed with a drive down the right field line that bounced around the corner past right fielder J.D. Drew, giving the burly designated hitter an RBI triple. Hafner came in to score on Victor Martinez's sacrifice fly, making the score 4-2.

Hideki Okajima pitched a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.