Red Sox starter Josh Beckett threw 67 pitches yesterday and appears ready to start Game Three on Sunday.

The Providence Journal / Gretchen Ertl

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Josh Beckett enjoyed what Terry Francona termed a “real positive side session” yesterday, throwing 67 pitches and not holding much back, and he appeared to be on course to make his scheduled start in Game Three on Sunday.

“It was a pretty aggressive side, but I think we probably needed to do that,” Francona said. “You’re always checking on health [with all players], but with Josh, it’s important. He needs to know going into his start that he has what is available and what he needs to win. Nothing was cut short. His fastball had some finish to it and he threw all his pitches.”

Paul Byrd or Tim Wakefield are on deck to replace Beckett in Game Three, but all indications are that Beckett will pitch.

‘Onus on every pitch’

While temperatures here climbing into the 80s brings to mind midsummer rather than October baseball, the Sox know these postseason games are different.

“Every little thing matters,” Jason Bay said. “It does the entire season, but it gets magnified at this point because there is no ‘Oh, we’ll get ’em tomorrow.’ There might not be a tomorrow, so the onus is on every pitch, every throw, every at-bat.”

Concentration, said the Sox catcher and captain Jason Varitek, is critical.

“We have to focus on good at-bats, on making quality pitches, on playing good baseball,” he said.

No homer replays for Bay

Bay said he has yet to see a replay of his key two-run home run.

He went out to eat with his agent after the game and then went to bed.

jdonalds@projo.com / kmcnamar@projo.com