Beckett picks up 13th win as Boston defeats A's

Jul 28, 2006, 19:20 GMT

Oakland, CA - Manny Ramirez belted a three-run homer to lead Boston's power punch and Josh Beckett threw six innings for his major league- leading 13th victory, as the Red Sox beat Oakland, 7-3, in the opener of a three-game series.

David Ortiz smashed his 34th homer of the year, tops in baseball, and Alex Gonzalez also had a solo shot for the Red Sox, who snapped a two-game skid. Boston won for the sixth time in eight outings to maintain a 2 1/2-game lead on the New York Yankees for first place in the American League East.

Beckett (13-5) allowed five hits and three runs, walked two and struck out four to record his sixth victory in eight decisions. The right-hander threw eight shutout innings against Kansas City last Wednesday and was then given a three-year contract extension.

Just five days later, Beckett was on the mark again, surrendering just one hit over the first four innings before Nick Swisher homered to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Before the hit, the Red Sox amassed a 7-0 lead.

Craig Hansen, Mike Timlin and Jonathan Papelbon allowed just two hits the rest of the way.

Barry Zito (10-7) had his two-game winning streak broken after being battered for nine hits and seven runs in five innings.

Milton Bradley had two hits and drove in a run for the Athletics, who lost their fourth straight home game and fell into a first-place tie with the Angels in the AL West with Texas lurking a half-game behind.

The Red Sox jumped on Zito for four runs in the third. Gonzalez homered to left field, just above the scoreboard, with one out in the inning. Kevin Youkilis and Mark Loretta followed with base hits. After Ortiz struck out, Ramirez crushed his 27th homer of the year, with the ball going to right- center field, also landing on the ledge just above the wall.

Zito continued to struggle in the fourth when Boston scored two more times. Mike Lowell doubled and Zito hit Wily Mo Pena with a pitch. Crisp doubled in a run and Youkilis lifted a sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Ortiz led off the fifth with a blast over the wall in right field.

The A's scored twice in the sixth, but wasted opportunities between the sixth and eighth innings. Jason Kendall walked and Mark Kotsay singled to start the sixth, and Bradley singled to right field for an RBI. Frank Thomas grounded into a double-play for another run.

Kotsay grounded out with the bases loaded to end the seventh, but the A's put their first two batters on base in the eighth against Timlin, only to squander another chance. Jay Payton grounded into a double play to kill the rally.

Game Notes

Beckett is two victories shy of his career-best. He went 15-8 last year with the Marlins.

Ramirez has 462 career homers, tying him with Jose Canseco and Jim Thome for 28th place on the all-time list.

Beckett rebounded from a July 14 loss to the A's, when he allowed eight hits and seven runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Ramirez extended his hitting streak to 10-games.

© 2006 The Sports Network