St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Josh Beckett settled down after a rough
opening frame to snap a six-start winless streak, while Will Middlebrooks
registered three hits, two RBI and a run scored as the Boston Red Sox downed
the Tampa Bay Rays, 7-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set.
Beckett (5-7) surrendered four hits and all three of Tampa Bay's runs in the
first, but allowed just four more hits the rest of the way. He fanned seven
and walked two in six innings to notch his first win since May 20 at
Philadelphia.
Mike Aviles smacked a two-run homer among his two hits for Boston, which had
lost six of their last seven coming into the series.
Alfredo Aceves walked the bases loaded in the ninth, but Hideki Matsui flied
out to right to end the game.
James Shields (8-6) was tagged for six runs on 11 hits and three walks in five
innings for the Rays, who have alternated wins and losses over their last
seven contests.
The Sports Network