Beckett Throws Gem as Red Sox Rock Tribe

Over eight innings, the Red Sox ace allowed just one run on five hits while fanning 11 batters.

Josh Beckett Photo courtesy: MLB.com

CLEVELAND - The Red Sox aren't just going back home. They are going back to play some more baseball.

With elimination staring his team in the face, Josh Beckett never blinked, pitching yet another postseason gem in leading the Red Sox to a 7-1 victory in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Thursday night at Jacobs Field.

Following an off-day on Friday, the Red Sox will again try to stay alive in Saturday night's Game 6, when they send Curt Schilling to the mound at what figures to be an electric Fenway Park.

The Indians still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, meaning they still have two more chances to get to the World Series.

The Red Sox, meanwhile, knew their margin was at zero, and they played like it.

In particular, Beckett pitched like it while improving to 3-0 this postseason. Over eight innings, the Red Sox ace allowed just one run on five hits while fanning 11 batters.

Clinging to a 2-1 lead after five, the Red Sox finally got the insurance they seemed to be on the cusp of all night against Indians ace C.C. Sabathia.

Dustin Pedroia led off the sixth with a double to right-center and Kevin Youkilis brought him home with a triple that went off the glove of a diving Grady Sizemore.

Indians manager Eric Wedge then lifted Sabathia in favor of Rafael Betancourt, and David Ortiz lofted a sacrifice fly to left to make it 4-1.

Looking to play with a lead, the Red Sox got one quick as Youkilis belted a solo homer to left with one out in the first. With two outs, Manny Ramirez hit a double to left-center.

Mike Lowell followed with a single to right, but Ramirez was thrown out at the plate by Indians right fielder Franklin Gutierrez.

The Indians bounced right back in their first, as Sizemore led off with a bloop double down the line in left. Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a single to right, setting up runners at the corners with nobody out.

Travis Hafner then hit into a 6-3 double play, but Sizemore crossed home with the tying run.

Back came the Red Sox in the third, with the top of the order again making things happen.

Pedroia led off with a single to right. After Youkilis hit into a double play, Ortiz drew a walk. Up stepped Ramirez, who lofted a drive to right-center that landed on the top of the yellow line that rests above the wall before bouncing back into play. Ortiz came home and Ramirez, who thought it was a homer off the bat, settled for an RBI single that made it 2-1 Red Sox.

Ramirez and Boston manager Terry Francona both argued vehemently that it was a home run, but the umpiring crew, after huddling for a bit, stuck with the original call. And, according to the Jacobs Field ground rules, a ball must be hit over the yellow line to be a home run.

The Red Sox continued to work Sabathia, getting singles from Bobby Kielty and Jason Varitek to lead off the fourth.

But Coco Crisp twice was unable to get a bunt down and then struck out, and Julio Lugo grounded into a 6-3 double play to get Sabathia out of the jam.

Beckett got into a groove and the Indians had just one baserunner from the second through fourth innings.

Meanwhile, the Sox had worked Sabathia's pitch count to 69 over the first four frames.

The bottom of the fifth began with an interesting wrinkle.

Kenny Lofton worked Beckett to a 3-0 count and then thought he had walked on the next pitch. But it was ruled a strike. Perhaps Beckett was upset that Lofton presumed he had walked. Because once Lofton popped the next pitch into shallow left, Beckett appeared to shout something in his direction. Lofton was not amused, and after turning the corner at first base, he went towards Beckett. Both benches emptied briefly but nothing came of it.

Casey Blake and Sizemore than produced consecutive singles, but Beckett blew a 97-mph heater by Cabrera to end that threat.

Boston broke it open in the eighth, sending eight batters to the plate en route three additional runs.

Story by: Ian Browne

Courtesy: MLB.com

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