Boston Red Sox defeat Seattle Mariners 3-1 to take 2-0 lead in series – MLB Update
Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett had an exceptional day with the ball, as he crushed seven batters to take his club to a 3-1 win over the rivals Seattle Mariners in the second diversion of the three-game series at Fenway Park in Boston on Saturday, July
23 to take a 2-0 lead.
The 31-year-old hurler held the Mariners scoreless until the top of the seventh inning, when he allowed a one-run homer to Seattle’s left-fielder Mike Carp to lead off the game. Before allowing this hit, he struck-out seven batters. He finished his spell
pitching seven innings to earn his ninth win of the season.
"I was a little spent in the seventh," Beckett said. "Youk made a great play to hold it down to one run."
However, his manager Terry Francona was happy with the way he tossed to take his club to their 61st win of the season.
"He's been good in all situations," Francona said. "He's pretty special right now. You've got that guy (Dustin Pedroia) behind him and you know they don't want to face him."
Mariners’ starter Blake Beavan was also brilliant in the first half of the game. He did not allow any run in his first six innings but after club posted one run lead, he failed to maintain his sharp pitches and allowed three runs. The Red Sox centre-fielder
Jacoby Ellsbury entered the plate for his third at-bat and scored an RBI double to take his club into a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning. He added another run in the same inning to put the opposition under pressure.
The Mariners missed many close chances of runs that made their manager Eric Wedge furious.
He said, "We just left too many runners in scoring position," Wedge added. "Bases loaded, nobody out and get nothing out of it. Second and third, one out, getting nothing out of it. That's the ballgame right there."
Red Sox reliever Daniel Bard threw a strong eighth inning at the crucial time. He struck-out one batter over his 19 pitches long one inning. Then closer Jonathan Papelbon tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 23rd save of the season.
Besides three runs, Beavan allowed nine hits in just over six innings to receive his second loss of the season. David Pauley and Aaron Laffey did not yield any run over their short spell.
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