TORONTO — His very first pitch of the night was deposited beyond the fence in left-center by Alex Rios and his third pitch was driven for a double by rookie Adam Lind.

A year ago, Josh Beckett might have allowed the inning and the start to get away from him. But this isn’t last year, and as the Red Sox are happy to learn, this isn’t the old Josh Beckett.

Beckett recorded 21 more outs after Lind’s double and yielded just three more hits. Only one more Toronto Blue Jay reached as far as second base after the first inning as Beckett posted his seventh straight victory, a comfortable 9-2 thrashing of the reeling Jays, who dropped their seventh in a row and fell 8 ½ games behind the Sox after 32 games.

“To his credit,” said manager Terry Francona of Beckett, “he reeled himself back a hurry and pitched like he was supposed to. He got his stuff down in the strike zone and made adjustments real quick.”

In extending his start to 7-0, Beckett can tie the franchise record for most consecutive wins to begin a season Sunday against Baltimore. Babe Ruth (1917), Dave “Boo” Ferris (1945) and Rogelio Moret (1973) hold the mark with 8-0 starts.

“I have a lot of confidence going into each start,” said Beckett, who lowered his ERA to 2.51. “(After the first two hitters), I executed my pitches. To give up just one run to that lineup is a feat in itself.”

“He’s using his sinker more and trying to overpower everybody,” said teammate Kevin Youkilis, whose first-inning homer was soon wiped out by Rios’ shot. “A lot of power pitchers want to throw the ball past guys, but I think he’s learning that you’re better off using your off-speed pitches. I think he’s clicking on all cylinders now.”

It helped that the offense provided early and significant support via the long ball against beleaguered Toronto starter Victor Zambrano.

Dustin Pedroia cranked a three-run homer to left in the second, his first of the season. The Sox continued to flash some muscle in the third when Mike Lowell added a three-run shot of his own and Jason Varitek followed with a solo belt to straightaway center.

“The offense,” said Francona, “did a great job. We took some good swings. When you get a three-run homer out of the nine hole — that’s what makes your offense go. We know were going to get production from David (Ortiz), Manny (Ramirez) and J.D. (Drew). But when you can some from the a little lower in the order, you’re going to be pretty good.”

Pedroia, who later added an infield single in the sixth, posted his third straight multi-hit game and lifted his average to a more respectable .254.

“A lot of people doubt him,” said Youkilis, “but he hasn’t even had 100 at-bats yet. He’s relaxed a little more, he’s more aggressive at times and he’s putting together some really good at-bats.”

“I’ve been working a lot and it’s paying off now,” said Pedroia. “I start slow every year. Instead of getting to the ball too quick, I’m staying back and hitting the ball good.”

“He’s more relaxed now,” agreed Francona. “He should be.”

Pedroia wasn’t the only Red Sox hitter busting out. Julio Lugo, who was given Sunday off by Francona to gather himself a bit after hitting at a .155 clip for the previous 18 games, had a single in the first and a double in the eighth, while Varitek’s homer marked his first extra-base hit in a dozen games. He had a perfect night with the homer, three singles and a walk, giving him his first four-hit game since Sept. 20, 2005.

Even Lowell, who came into the game hitting a respectable .294, had been hitless over the weekend in Minnesota before belting his fifth homer of the year in his second at-bat.

smcadam@projo.com