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Beckett tries to stay perfect vs. Diamondbacks

Jun 8, 2007 - 2:44 PM Boston (38-21) at Arizona (36-24) 9:40 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- A day after a dominating performance by Curt Schilling, the Boston Red Sox send their hottest pitcher to the mound looking to start a winning streak.

Josh Beckett takes the hill as the Red Sox begin a three-game interleague series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday.

Schilling helped the Red Sox snap a four-game skid by nearly throwing the first no-hitter of his career in a 1-0 win over Oakland on Thursday.

Schilling held the Athletics hitless for 8 2/3 innings, but Shannon Stewart broke up the no-hit bid with single on the first pitch he saw.

Meanwhile, Beckett (8-0, 2.95 ERA) will be looking to stay undefeated and become the first Red Sox pitcher to start 9-0 since Roger Clemens started 14-0 in 1986.

The former World Series MVP has allowed more than three runs just once in his last six starts. That came on Sunday, when he yielded four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision vs. the Yankees.

The Diamondbacks will counter with Doug Davis (4-6, 3.05). Davis is coming off a solid performance against the New York Mets in which he allowed one run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings on Sunday.

As for Arizona, they have been on a roll, winning 11 of their last 13 games. However, they stumbled a bit when Jose Valverde blew a 4-3 lead and they lost, 5-4, in 11 innings to San Francisco on Thursday.