It was, in its 2-hour-39-minute efficiency, its close score, its mastery on the mound, perhaps the quintessential contemporary Red Sox experience. With one of the best pitching staffs in baseball and an offense that is far more of a doubles threat than a home run threat, the Sox probably will be winning more games in yesterday's fashion than in the fashion of yore.
"I think we've got a great offense, I think we've definitely got great starting pitching," J.D. Drew said. "It's just a matter of getting them enough runs to get the victory. I think what you saw today was a good example of what you'll see a lot this year."
Those slugfests? Those 10-8 games? Those might be in the past, with yesterday's 5-3 win over the Rays serving as Exhibit A, what Mike Lowell called "a nice, complete game." Not that everyone is exactly buying that theory.
"It's come into question, our offense," Kevin Youkilis said. "I don't know where it came from. I'll tell you what, we've got a pretty good team. We've got a good offensive team and good pitching. It's going to take us a long way.
"Our offense is not going to be the reason why we get to the postseason. It's always your pitching. So as long as we pitch well, we'll have a chance to do good things around here."
Though Beckett said, "It didn't really matter who we were playing, it's always good to get a win," the Sox won the first of what could be 18 crucial games against the Rays. It gives the Sox a leg up, if only for a day, against the team that, along with the Yankees, is supposed to challenge them in the American League East.
"We play a lot of those, we just do," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of high-pressure division games. "It's good for their baseball soul."
For now, the Sox will attempt to get their pitchers the support they need. No need to worry about their offense yet, at least not after what was on display yesterday against (Big Game) James Shields and behind a brilliant Beckett. It was enough, and that was what was important.
The early contributors were almost predictable. Dustin Pedroia homered on the second pitch he saw, prompting his inevitable dugout chirping about the 600 or so homers he might hit this year.
