Red Sox start with a blank slate

By shutting out the Orioles over seven innings, Beckett earned his 13th win, more than any pitcher in the majors this season. The Sox have won seven of Beckett’s last eight starts and 16 of 21 this year. His performance lifted the Sox to their third straight win and back to within a half-game of the first-place New York Yankees in the American League East.

“Beckett showed tonight why he’s one of the game’s best,’’ Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. “He’s throwing 89-90-mile-per-hour changeups or cutters, 97-mile-per-hour fastballs in on your hands. The guy’s just one of the game’s best.’’

Regardless of what else is happening, the Red Sox know when Beckett pitches, everything will probably be OK. Manager Terry Francona lauded his players for “grinding’’ while winning Thursday and Friday. With Beckett pitching, they didn’t need to grind; they cruised.

“I like that on my day, they feel like we should win,’’ Beckett said. “That’s huge. We’ve done a pretty good job of that this year.’’

Beckett allowed six hits, five of them singles, and only two minor threats. Pitching in hazy summer heat, the kind that sticks to you, Beckett fired 107 pitches, 69 of them strikes. He unleashed some of his most devastating stuff of the year.

Beckett struck out Aubrey Huff to lead off the second inning looking at an insdie fastball that hit 98 miles per hour on the stadium radar gun - “as nasty as you’re going to see,’’ Trembley said.

Jason Varitek thought Beckett’s two-seam fastball was even better than his four-seamer. His curveball darted like a balloon losing air.

“A lot of power without trying to generate power,’’ Francona said. “That’s a lineup that has really had good at-bats against him and made him work.’’

Three Orioles reached scoring position, and the Orioles put multiple runners on base only in Beckett’s final two innings. Beckett allowed no runners past first until the Orioles had two outs in the fifth inning when Cesar Izturis ripped a ball into the right-center gap. Josh Reddick’s bobble allowed Izturis to scoot to third for a triple.