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March 25, 2007

Beckett shines in Red Sox victory

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Hanley Ramirez quickly showed the Red Sox what they lost when they shipped him to the Marlins. Then Josh Beckett showed the deal was hardly one-sided.

Ramirez, traded for Beckett after the 2005 season, lined the right-hander’s first pitch through the middle to set up Florida’s first run Sunday. But Beckett allowed just two more hits and pitched seven innings as the Red Sox won 12-6.

“Anybody who can go up there and hit the first pitch of the game like that right back at somebody, he’s definitely got some athletic skills,” Beckett said.

The trade sent Beckett and third baseman Mike Lowell to Boston for Ramirez and right-hander Anibal Sanchez. Ramirez hit .292 with 17 homers and 51 stolen bases last season, winning NL Rookie of the Year. Sanchez pitched a no-hitter.

“I certainly think (the Red Sox) are happy that I’m here,” Beckett said. “I definitely think that it worked out for (the Marlins’) organization.”

Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez thinks so.

Ramirez “is an aggressive hitter,” he said. “He’s got all the tools. If he wouldn’t be playing baseball, he’d be playing, I think, cornerback for some NFL team.”

Beckett, the MVP of the 2003 World Series with the Marlins, pitched against them for the first time. Showing an outstanding curveball, he struck out seven and walked three. In 23 2-3 innings this spring, he has 24 strikeouts and four walks. He’s allowed just one homer after giving up a career-high 36 last year.

So far he’s accomplished his primary goal for spring training — staying healthy.
“I was reading some of the injuries that some of the teams have taken,” Beckett said. “We’ve been pretty fortunate.”

The Yankees are without Chien-Ming Wang, who will start the season on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Andy Pettitte has been bothered by back spasms.
Marlins starter Yusmeiro Petit walked four in 4 1-3 innings but didn’t jeopardize his status on the staff, Gonzalez said.

In the first, Petit allowed a single to Julio Lugo and a walk to Kevin Youkilis before Manny Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly. In the third, Petit walked Lugo and Youkilis before David Ortiz doubled both home.

“You walk those two guys at the top of the order, you’re going to get in trouble trying to face the big boppers,” Gonzalez said. “Those are the only guys that hurt him and those guys hurt a lot of people.”

Boston led 3-1 before two Florida relievers allowed nine runs in the eighth and Red Sox reliever J.C. Romero gave up five in the ninth.

— ASSOCIATED PRESS

Posted by Chris Venditto  at 6:29 PM to Red Sox | Permalink

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