Floyd Stymies Sox In Series Finale (10-11)

Beckett had a shaky first

The Red Sox were looking pretty good entering this game; they were on a six game winning streak and had just hit the .500 mark, but things didn't go quite as planned in today's game. After a 1-2-3 inning to begin the ballgame, Josh Beckett and the Sox got into a spot of trouble in the bottom of the first. Alejandro De Aza singled to left to start the game and, after being bunted to second by Brent Lillibridge, scored on a single by Alex Rios. Adam Dunn came up after Rios, and worked a nice, long at bat off of Beckett before Beckett left a fastball up and Dunn crushed a two-run homer to give the White Sox a 3-0 lead early. Both teams essentially flew along after that, Beckett tossed 1-2-3 innings in three of the next four-- the only baserunner being Brent Lillibridge, who reached base on a third inning single. However, the man being called to attention at the time was not Josh Beckett, but Gavin Floyd of the White Sox.

But overall he pitched well

When the fifth inning dawned, Floyd had not even allowed a baserunner. Cody Ross would walk with one out in the fifth, but the no hit bid was still intact for Floyd. A 1-2-3 sixth inning kept those hopes alive but a one-out single in the seventh by Dustin Pedroia snapped it. Adrian Gonzalez struck out after Pedroia but David Ortiz doubled on a hard liner into right to put two in scoring position with two outs. Cody Ross cashed in on the opportunity, sending a low line drive into left field to score Pedroia and make it a 3-1 ballgame. In the bottom of the seventh, Josh Beckett would allow the bases to load on a single by Eduardo Escobar and walks to Alejandro De Aza and Brent Lillibridge. He would be lifted (with a line of 6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K) in favor of Scott Atchison, who quickly disposed of Alex Rios on a first pitch flyout. The White Sox would score in the eighth, however, on an RBI single into left for Dayan Viciedo-- the last run of a 4-1 win for Chicago.

Bright Spots:
Josh Beckett- 6.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 8 K, L (2-3)
Cody Ross- 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 BB

Dull Spots:
Ryan Sweeney- 0-3, 2 K
Adrian Gonzalez- 0-4, 3 K
Nick Punto- 0-3, 2 K, 3 LOB
Marlon Byrd- 0-2, 1 K
Kelly Shoppach- 0-2

Player of the Game:
Josh Beckett- Beckett pitched well after a shaky first inning, allowing no runs after a three-run first inning in a tough loss.