Game 98 • Red Sox 8, Athletics 3

WIN: Josh Beckett (7+ IP, 8 H, 3 ER, BB, 10 K, 103/77) 12-4
LOSS: Trevor Cahill (5 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 110/61) 6-9

This was a proper Red Sox/A's matchup in 2009. Red Sox Smash. They picked and picked away at Cahill for 6 runs, plus 2 more against the bullpen. Beckett was very good. Maybe not fantastic but with the offense the Red Sox brought tonight, he was more than adequate. He struck out four through the first two innings.

Speaking of that Red Sox offense, Pedroia hit a home run in the first inning. Jacoby Ellsbury tripled to lead off the third inning, then FY sacrificed him home to put the Sox up 2-0. The big inning was the 4th: Bay walked, Werd singled, LaRoche doubled home Bay, Varitek singled home Drew, Lowrie flied out, Lyndon hit an infield single, sending LaRoche home, then Pedroia grounded into a double play. 5-0 Boston.

Boston scored another run in the 5th (Youk and Ortiz singles, Bay RBI single), then scored their two final runs in the bottom of the 7th. With one out, Bay walked, Drew doubled to left, LaRoche grounded out, Varitek was intentionally walked, then Jed Lowrie hit a bloop pop-fly to left that fell between three A's before bouncing into the seats for a ground-rule double.

Oakland scored all of its runs softly. A one-run single with the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly and an RBI ground-out. Kurt Suzuki drove home two of the three runs.

It was a good night for the players who were slumping: Ellsbury had 3 hits. Bay had a hit and two walks. Drew had two hits. It seems only Big Papi was left out of the fun, and he had a hit in 5 appearances himself.

Beckett allowed a lead-off triple in the 8th which led to Terry Francona lifting him and bringing in Daniel Bard. Dennis Eckersley said you have to respect this guy's gas. He allowed a hit and an inherited runner to score, while striking out two. Delcarmen pitched a scoreless 9th and cue "Dirty Water."

JoS1 is tomorrow night. I've had no gamethread-hosting takers so you're on your own. Wednesday and Thursday's games should be here, though.

Yankees beat the Rays 11-4 so we stay 2.5 GB.