01:00 AM EDT on Monday, April 17, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- They collected a grand total of five hits, left nine runners on base -- six in scoring position alone -- and had exactly one extra-base hit.

For the season, they're batting .232 (29-for-125) with runners in scoring position. On the homestand, that number dips to .156 (10-for-64).

Their cleanup hitter has yet to collect an extra-base hit and has a mere three RBI through the first dozen games of the season. And yet, almost against logic, the Red Sox, following their 3-2 win over the Seattle Mariners yesterday, are 8-4.

In half of those wins, the Red Sox have scored three runs or fewer. By contrast, in all of last season, the Sox won just nine games when they scored three runs or fewer. Already, the Sox have won as many games (three) in which they scored two or fewer runs as they did in the entire 2005 schedule.

"It's early," said manager Terry Francona. "In April games, teams don't hit their stride in a lot of areas. (But) it's nice to able to win games when you haven't hit you're stride offensively."

"We haven't quite gotten going as a unit yet -- that's obvious," added catcher Jason Varitek. "But it's nice to win games like this."

After leading the majors leagues in runs scored in each of the last three seasons -- topping the 900-run level each time -- the Sox are currently on a pace to score just 714.

Of course, if they keep getting pitching like they're getting, they won't need nearly as much offense.

Yesterday, Josh Beckett stretched his record to 3-0 with seven innings in which he allowed just one earned run. Beckett thought he was joining an offensive juggernaut this winter, but thus far his experience here has been strikingly similar to his time with the Marlins.

"You kind of get used to (close games) in Florida," he said. "I mean, most of our games were pretty tough, and we had a big ballpark out there and we didn't score a lot of runs."

The Sox got Beckett two quick runs in the first yesterday, with some help from the Mariners and first-base umpire Rick Reed. After a leadoff walk to Kevin Youkilis and a double to left by Mark Loretta, a groundout to first by Manny Ramirez (.214 on the season) scored Youkilis as Loretta advanced to third.

When Jason Varitek hit a bouncer to third baseman Adrian Beltre, it looked like Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn would get out of the inning with just one run in. Instead, Beltre's throw was wide of the bag, and even though it seemed that first baseman Richie Sexson had slapped a tag on the sliding Varitek, Reed saw otherwise and ruled the catcher safe as Loretta scored.

The only other Sox run came in the fourth. After a single, a wild pitch, a walk and hit batsman, Alex Gonzalez' bloop single -- which looked eminently catchable -- dropped in front of center fielder Jeremy Reed, scoring Varitek.

After that, the Sox got just two more hits, both infield singles in the seventh. It was up to Beckett to make his meager support stand and withstand some flaws by his defense.

Following an error by Loretta on a grounder by Ichiro in the third, right fielder Wily Mo Pena unwisely chose to dive for a sinking liner off the bat of Jose Lopez. When the ball squirted underneath him and rolled to the wall, Ichiro sprinted around the bases and Lopez had a gift triple. A run-scoring single by Raul Ibanez pulled the Mariners even.

But Beckett protected his one-run lead fiercely. He used a double-play ball to erase his lone walk -- to Matt Lawton in the fourth. But Beckett really showed his mettle in the sixth when Ibanez tripled with one out, bringing Sexson and Beltre to the plate with the tying run 90 feet from home.

Beckett fanned Sexson on a curveball, then finished off Beltre with a 98 mph fastball.

"I was fortunate enough to execute those pitches," said Beckett. "Either one of those guys can easily tie the game or put them ahead. So to get those guys out, you're happy with however you get them."

"Like a lot of great pitchers," said Francona, "he has the ability, when there's runners in scoring position or his back's against the wall, to kind of put it in another gear. We needed the strikeouts. He has the ability. He knows how to pitch. And we needed them or we're probably still playing."

It helped that Beckett was efficient early -- recording his first 1-2-3 first inning of the season -- and had enough left to complete seven innings before turning it over to Mike Timlin (eighth inning) and Jonathan Papelbon (6-for-6 in saves) in the ninth.

"We're 3-0 in my starts," said Beckett. "That's what it all comes down to is winning games for your team."

The offensive drought won't last forever. But while it does, the Sox seem to have sufficient pitching to win games in which there's a minimum of backing.

"When you have good pitching," concluded Francona, "you win on games like today. We don't have to say, 'It was a good game, but we lost.' We won a real good game because of good pitching, and all of a sudden your hitting is "timely" instead of 'not enough.' "

smcadam@projo.com / (401) 277-7340