The Red Sox’ starting rotation has hardly lived up to its advance billing. It had a 5.06 ERA entering last night’s game, and that ballooned to 5.56 after Beckett allowed eight earned runs over his three innings. He gave up nine hits and three walks while striking out three, and continued a horrendous stretch.
“That was not the way we drew it up,’’ manager Terry Francona said. “I think I’ve said that a few times this year. It’s a challenging way to play the game.’’
Fortunately for the Sox, they were facing the Jays.
Even though Toronto is ahead of the Sox in the standings, that is an early season fluke. The Sox’ bats were alive, and after a four-run sixth inning they led, 13-9. And that lead, miraculously, held up in a 13-12 victory, even though things were in doubt until the end.
Of the Sox’ last five wins, all have come by a run.
“Just trying to figure out how we were going to win,’’ Francona quipped. “Once we got to 13, we were trying to figure out, OK, do you go for 2?’’
Jason Varitek went 3 for 5 for the Sox with a pair of two-run singles and Marco Scutaro was 3 for 5 with a walk against his former team. Boston had 18 hits.
Both Beckett and Francona insisted that the starter is healthy.
“Too many pitches in the heart of the plate,’’ Beckett said. “Good fastball hitters hit fastballs. Just a bad night.
“You get paid to make adjustments, and that’s what I’ve got to do. Unfortunately, every adjustment I made ended up getting hit harder than the last one.’’
Beckett wasn’t alone. No one could hold anyone down. No one could stop anyone else.
Manny Delcarmen entered at 10:11 p.m., exactly three hours after the first pitch, after Lyle Overbay had homered to start the bottom of the sixth. Yes, the sixth — that’s how long it was taking. For the few fans that deigned to attend this one — 13,847 was the announced attendance — it wasn’t looking like there would be any bars open after this one ended in which to drown their sorrows.
