Beckett and Big Papi lift Red Sox over Yankees

[June 10, 2009]  BOSTON (AP) -- Josh Beckett allowed only an infield hit in six innings, and David Ortiz hit his third homer of the year to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 7-0 victory over the New York Yankees on Tuesday night.

The Red Sox improved to 6-0 against the Yankees franchise for the first time since 1912, when they beat the Highlanders in 14 straight -- including the first-ever game in Fenway Park.

Beckett (7-2) struck out eight and walked two before leaving with a 6-0 lead after six innings, having thrown 93 pitches. The only hit he allowed was Robinson Cano's fourth-inning grounder to the left of second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who dove to come up with the ball but couldn't make the throw that had little chance of getting the batter anyway.

It was ruled a base hit by official scorer Mike Shalin.

Beckett struck out Jorge Posada to end the inning, then retired the last six batters he faced, fanning three of them, for his third consecutive victory. In all, only three batters hit the ball out of the infield against him.

A.J. Burnett (4-3) allowed three earned runs on five walks and five hits before leaving with two outs in the third and taking out his frustrations on a dugout watercooler. He gave up Ortiz's two-run shot to straightaway center field in Boston's four-run second, when Alex Rodriguez double-clutched on a grounder for an error and gave Boston an extra out.

Burnett walked Mike Lowell to start the inning, then Ortiz hit a 2-2 pitch over the high center field wall about 400 feet from home plate. It was the second homer in three games for the struggling slugger, who hit 54 in 2006 but has been moved from third to sixth in the Red Sox order as he tries to pull his batting average above .200.

Burnett struck out Jason Varitek, but Mark Kotsay walked and Nick Green hit the ball to third base that handcuffed Rodriguez. Dustin Pedroia grounded out before J.D. Drew doubled in two runs. Green's RBI double in the third made it 4-0 and chased Burnett.

Burnett, who had won two starts in a row, came into the game with a 5-0 record and 3.52 ERA in nine career starts against the Red Sox. But he also struggled in his first time facing them with the Yankees, when he did not factor in the decision after allowing eight runs and eight hits in five innings on April 25.

Brett Gardner had the Yankees' only other hit.

Notes: Burnett was suspended for six games for throwing inside to Texas' Nelson Cruz, but the Yankees right-hander remains in the rotation during his appeal. ... Boston CF Jacoby Ellsbury got the night off with a sore right shoulder. Tests showed it was just a bruise. ... Yankees RHP Brian Bruney (15-day DL with a strained right elbow) threw a bullpen side and feels strong enough to return to the active roster. ... The Red Sox passed the 1 million mark in home attendance in their 27th home date.

[Associated Press; By JIMMY GOLEN]

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