Backed by David Ortiz' hitting and solid bullpen work, Josh Beckett faces Atlanta for the first time as an A.L. pitcher, and the result is the same -- a victory.

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, June 18, 2006

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

ATLANTA -- There are a few things that Josh Beckett undoubtedly misses about the National League. Inferior lineups and bigger ballparks surely top his list. But a chance to pitch regularly against the Atlanta Braves might not be far behind.

As a member of the Florida Marlins, Beckett had a career 2.59 E.R.A. against the perennially powerhouse Braves, and at Turner Field, that number improved to 1.67. Changing teams and leagues apparently hasn't affected his domination of Atlanta.

Facing the Braves for the first time as an American Leaguer, Beckett allowed just three hits and two runs over six innings yesterday, guiding the Sox to their second straight win, 5-3. The victory was Beckett's first against any team since May 25.

Blanking the Braves over the first three innings, Beckett extended his scoreless streak against them to 22 consecutive innings. Atlanta was without Chipper Jones. The Braves started the game hitting just .264 as a team --

"The one thing he really did was compete," said manager Terry Francona of Becektt, who improved to 8-3. "He drove the ball up in the zone some, but he didn't give up many hits and had good velocity."

Because of a high pitch-count -- 105 over six innings -- Beckett didn't go as deep into the game as he would have liked. After pitching seven innings or more in each of his first four outings this season and seven of his first nine, Beckett hasn't gone longer than six innings in any of his last five starts.

"But the way I've been going the last three starts," he said, "it was just nice to get a win. I've kind of always been that way (inefficient with his pitches) because I walk guys (four yesterday) and I get a lot of foul balls."

The Braves didn't get a hit off him until Andruw Jones' one-out single to center in the fourth. Jones' hit scored Edgar Renteria, who had drawn a leadoff walk and moved to second on a balk by Beckett.

Beckett faced a challenge in the fifth when four straight hitters reached after one out. Singles by Matt Diaz and pinch-hitter Pete Orr, followed by consecutive walks to Marcus Giles and Renteria -- on eight straight balls -- pushed across the second Atlanta run of the afternoon.

"I was being too quick with my lower half," said Beckett. "I never could get in a groove (pitching) out of the stretch. It was mechanics -- I couldn't get the ball down."

But Beckett got Wilson Betemit on a pop to short for the second out, then overpowered Jones with 98 mph fastball that the Atlanta outfielder popped up to second, ending the threat.

"I pretty much throw every pitch as hard as I can," shrugged Beckett. "But I guess you've got to be able to reach back when you need to."

Even before Beckett's jam, the Sox had provided him with early support against fill-in starter Lance Cormier. Kevin Youkilis led off the game with his eighth homer and third from the leadoff position.

In the third, Mark Loretta walked and rode home on David Ortiz's line double to the gap in left-center. Ortiz scored on Trot Nixon's RBI single up the middle.

Then came Beckett's chance to contribute at the plate. After failing to get a two-strike bunt down in the second, Beckett swung away and hit a chopper through the box, delivering Alex Gonzalez, who had lashed a one-out double as part of his three-hit afternoon.

Ortiz then extended the Sox' lead with a mammoth belt into the Braves' bullpen, his 19th homer of the season. That finished off Boston's scoring for the day --

The homer gave Ortiz two RBI -- one more than he had in the first four games of the road trip.

Until early yesterday morning, the Sox had planned to rest Ortiz. But Manny Ramirez reported a "balky" right knee, and Ortiz played first base.

"Not a bad day, huh?" asked Ortiz.

With five runs on the scoreboard and Beckett in the dugout, it became the bullpen's game. Manny Delcarmen, Julian Tavarez and newcomer Javier Lopez combined to get six outs in the seventh and the eighth. Jonathan Papelbon finished off the slumping Braves with his 22nd save. It was the fifth straight loss for the Braves, who are 2-14 in June.

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