BOSTON -- So where was this all season?

Josh Beckett never did consistently dominate the opposition as was expected after his ballyhooed arrival in Boston in a trade with the Marlins last winter, but last night the right-hander showed what he is capable of as he outpitched Cy Young shoo-in Johan Santana last night at Fenway Park.

Beckett blanked the Twins on six hits over eight innings in a 6-0 victory at Fenway Park, keeping Minnesota from leap-frogging Detroit and moving into first place in the A.L. Central.

In the process, Beckett outdueled Santana, who had entered the game leading the league in wins (18)) and earned-run average (2.77). The left-hander surrendered David Ortiz's team-record 51st homer and then committed a throwing error that contributed to a three-run surge that put Boston on top, 4-0, in the second.

Santana (18-6) lasted only five innings, tying his shortest outing of the season in losing for the first time in 14 post-All-Star starts. His last loss came on July 9, in his last start before the All-Star break.

Beckett, meanwhile, improved to 16-10 and lowered his E.R.A. from 5.02 to 4.82. He very effectively mixed in slower-than-normal (for him) curveballs to go along with a crackling fastball.

Going against form

Boston manager Terry Francona's lineup looked a tad unusual given the fact that the Twins were starting a left-handed pitcher.

Francona elected to put Carlos Pena in left field, even though Pena is a left-handed batter. He also kept Trot Nixon, another left-handed hitter, in the lineup, along with Ortiz.

The reason for that was contained in the statistics. Even though Santana is a left-hander, he was having more success against right-handed hitters (.207) than left-handers (.247), though, clearly, he was tough on both. Santana's devastating changeup is more effective against right-handers, said Francona.

Francona's hunch paid off. In the first, Ortiz blasted a homer. In the second, Pena began the three-run rally with a single.

Lowell steps aside

Classy Mike Lowell has been the most patient man in Fenway the last couple of days.

After Ortiz tied the record with his 50th homer Wednesday night, Lowell, following the slugger in the batting order, waited to step into the batter's box until Ortiz accepted congratulations from the Sox and then took a curtain call.

Lowell did the same thing after homers 51 and 52 last night.

Then, he treated himself to a spot in the home-run parade, bashing a homer into the Monster Seats on the first pitch in the seventh, making it back-to-back homers for the Sox on back-to-back pitches from Matt Guerrier.

It was the sixth time this year Boston has hit consecutive homers.

Sox Hall opens for Morgan

Former Red Sox manager Joe Morgan, who will be part of the organization's latest Hall of Fame class, to be enshrined in a dinner ceremony Nov. 9, was on the field at Fenway during batting practice yesterday.

"To be honest, never remotely thinking this was going to happen, it came as quite a surprise. It's an honor," Morgan said of his selection to the Red Sox "Hall."

Morgan, who also managed the Pawtucket Red Sox, still holds a major-league record for most wins to start a managerial career. When he took over for fired John McNamara after the All-Star break in 1988 as the interim skipper, Morgan's Magic took root. The Sox won the first 12 games Morgan managed.

The "interim" tag was taken away from him after the sixth victory, with the Red Sox rewarding him with a contract to run the team, which he did through the 1991 season.

"I hope that record is never broken," said Morgan, a twinkle in his eye. "You've got to be selfish sometimes."

Ortiz's 50th up for bid

Ortiz's 50th home run baseball will be auctioned off online at www.redsox.com beginning today at 11 a.m. and running through 7 p.m. on Sept. 26, with proceeds going to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Plaza de la Salud Hospital de Ninos in the slugger's hometown of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Ortiz tied Jimmie Foxx's club record of 50 homers on Wednesday night.

The winning bidder will be the Sox's guest at a game during the season-ending series with Baltimore Sept. 29-Oct. 1. There will be a pregame ceremony during which the winner will be presented with the ball by Ortiz, who will autograph it.

Around the bases

Kevin Youkilis (neck) and Wily Mo Pena (quadriceps) were held out of the lineup for another day. Youkilis expects to start tonight in Toronto. Wily Mo could return, too. . . . Center fielder Coco Crisp also was held out of the starting lineup. His left index finger, which was broken the first week of the season, continues to bother him, so he was expected to undergo more medical tests yesterday.

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