In a match-up between CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees and Josh Beckett of the Boston Red Sox you might have expected at least one dominating pitching performance. You probably would have figured it would come from Sabathia, the Yankees ace, rather than Beckett, 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA in 2010. That is not how things turned out Sunday night, however.Josh Beckett struck out 10 in eight dominant innings, leading the Red Sox to a 4-0 victory over the Yankees in the rubber match of their three-game series.
Beckett (1-1) allowed only two hits and walked just one in his second start of the season. In his first outing, Tuesday against Cleveland, he pitched just five innings and gave up three runs.
But he shut New York down on Sunday, keeping Boston in front until its offense created some breathing room. Marco Scutaro hit a key two-run double in the seventh to help Boston win the series after it started the year 0-6.
In contrast to Beckett, Yankees starter and ace CC Sabathia (0-1) struggled in 5 2/3 innings. Though he allowed only one run, he gave up nine hits and walked four.
"It was pretty much not being able to get ahead," Sabathia said. "Even when I did get ahead it turned around, the count ended up being 2-1; a lot of hitters counts."