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Beckett bests Peavy in pitchers' duel

Jun 25, 2007 - 12:41 AM SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Josh Beckett outdueled Jake Peavy in a marquee pitching matchup of each league's best.

Beckett threw eight solid innings as the Red Sox won the rubber game of the three-game series against the San Diego Padres, 4-2, on Sunday.

The 26-year-old righthander kept the Padres' bats in check for most of the day as he won his major league-best 11th game, surpassing the three-way tie for first he had with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's John Lackey and the Cleveland Indians' C.C. Sabathia.

"Anytime you go against Jake Peavy you know it's going to be a good game," Beckett said. "We got some good hits with some guys in scoring position. The guys picked me up. If you score three runs off that guy, you're going to have a good chance.

"I just tried to locate my fastball, mix in a few changeups and throw the curveball when I needed to. Peavy pitched a great game, we just grinded against him."

Beckett allowed more than one baserunner only once in an inning en route to yielding two runs and five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Jonathan Papelbon retired the side in the ninth to collect his 18th save in 19 chances.

Jason Varitek hit his eighth homer - a solo shot - in the eighth against reliever Scott Linebrink to push the lead to 4-2 for the Red Sox, who improved to 19-6 in series finales.

"I don't always swing at 3-0, but I was seeing the ball well all day today," Varitek said. "I found something I could handle and was able to get a good swing on it. We were able to get some big hits at the right time."

J.D. Drew added two hits for the Boston, which has won seven of 10.

Boston used a three-run third against Peavy to give Beckett all the cushion he would need.

Coco Crisp recorded the first of five singles in six at-bats in the frame for the Red Sox. David Ortiz and Mike Lowell had run-scoring hits in the inning, and Manny Ramirez used a sacrifice fly to plate Alex Cora and give Boston a 3-0 advantage.

San Diego answered in the fifth when pinch hitter Terrmel Sledge doubled to bring home rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff and Geoff Blum and cut the deficit to 3-2.

Peavy (9-2) entered the game with a National League-best 1.98 ERA but surrendered three runs for the second straight start. Also the league leader in strikeouts with 110 prior to Sunday, he struck out just three.

"We did a great job against (Peavy)," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Obviously, he is one of the best - if not the best - in the game and we did make him work hard. Fortunately for us, we have one of the best on our team and (Beckett) was great."

The 25-year-old righthander surrendered nine hits over five frames and walked one batter in snapping a personal six-game winning streak.

"I think he was just up in the zone a little bit more than usual," Padres manager Bud Black said. "His stuff was fine. I don't think he was consistently throwing the ball down. But, I still thought he made pitches."

"Those are funny for me to look back on, because I come back and watch the video and feel like I made quality pitches," Peavy said. "I just don't have anything to show for it. I just couldn't get a ball hit at somebody. I don't feel like I got hit all over the ballpark by any means."

Peavy lost for the first time since April 30.

"Peavy is the kind of pitcher who has great stuff and can work on both sides of the plate," Ortiz said. "When you're facing a guy like Peavy, especially because you don't get to see him that much, you want to be patient and let him pitch."

"We had to be patient and disciplined," Francona said. "We had some runners left on base, probably more than (Peavy) is used to because they don't get on base. But he's also good enough where you're not going to score every time you get on."

Blum had two hits for San Diego, which lost at home for the seventh time in nine games, all against American League opponents.