Starter Josh Beckett appeared as if he'd turned the corner on opening day. It looked as if last season were more of a bad dream than a career downturn.
The 28-year-old fireballer appears to be healthy and throwing well again, but Beckett hasn't looked much like an ace during his last two starts. For only the second time in his career, Beckett gave up more than seven runs in two consecutive starts when he fell to the Rays in a blowout loss in Tampa on Thursday night. Beckett also was battered by the Yankees in his last start at Fenway Park. Beckett finished with 4 2/3 innings pitched and eight strikeouts, but he also was tagged for seven runs and 10 hits before taking the early exit from the game.
"It's frustrating. It's a lot of things," Beckett said. "I didn't do that in between my last two starts."
The numbers certainly aren't pretty for Beckett after five starts. Thursday night's blowout defeat dropped Beckett to 2-2 on the season with a 7.22 ERA and a .303 batting average against.
With Jon Lester looking a bit less effective than last year and Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list for at least a few more weeks, the Sox need the Beckett of old to show up for his next turn in the rotation.
RAYS 13, RED SOX 0: Boston didn't manage a baserunner off Tampa Bay's Matt Garza before Jacoby Ellsbury broke things up with an infield single in the seventh inning. RHP Josh Beckett gave up seven runs or more for the second straight start -- only the second time he's done that in his big-league career -- and dropped to 2-2.
