Not only that, he had served up but one home run ball, to Aaron (bleeping) Boone, the lone blemish on what was shaping up to be a masterpiece. Beckett has been susceptible to the long ball all season, primarily because hitters are waiting for a chance to tee off on his 96-mile-per-hour fastballs, but it seemed briefly as though that strategy would go for naught.
Through five innings, Beckett was in total command. The same pitcher who struggled with his control earlier in the season had not given up a walk.
He was leading, 3-1, on the cusp of joining Justin Verlander as the only 14-game winner in the AL, and on the verge of providing the kind of outing this battered Red Sox team so desperately needed.
Boston's hitters had bailed out their pitching staff again and again with improbable, ludicrous late-game heroics, but for a fleeting moment, it appeared their mettle would not be required. Three runs, it seemed, would be enough.
``It felt," said manager Terry Francona, almost wistfully, ``so good."
When Beckett induced leadoff hitter Grady Sizemore into a routine ground out in the sixth, you felt so convinced of his mojo you barely even noticed when the next batter, Joe Inglett, stroked a single. The ever-dangerous Travis Hafner certainly gave fans pause when he settled into the batter's box, but surely the nastiest pitcher in the AL could handle him.
Right?
Hafner worked the count to 2 and 1, then teed off on Beckett's poorly placed fastball, depositing the ball just inside the right-field foul pole for a two-run shot.
Just like that, the electric moment was lost, the score was tied, 3-3, and the Beckett highlight reel had suffered irreparable damage.
And, yet, there was still time for Beckett to regain his composure, his swagger, his stake in this outing. With Boston's potent lineup, no game is out of reach. Beckett could have salvaged his evening -- and his team's chances.
Instead, he gave up a single to Victor Martinez on a full count, and another single to Casey Blake, and an infield hit to Todd Hollandsworth.
