ATLANTA — The afternoon began with a bit of ominous pitching news: Curt Schilling, the nominative staff ace, was returning to Boston to have his ailing shoulder examined.

Schilling’s status likely won’t be determined for another few days, but by the time the Red Sox left Turner Field last night, Josh Beckett had helped take their minds off a potential blow to the pitching staff.

Keeping his team’s and his own losing streak at one, Beckett was magnificent, blanking the Atlanta Braves for six innings before getting three shutout innings from the bullpen in a 4-0 Red Sox triumph.

The shutout was the sixth of the season for the Sox’ pitching staff. Only Oakland, with seven, has more among American League teams.

The Sox chose not to send Beckett back out for the seventh after a 48-minute rain delay after the bottom of the sixth. But by then, Beckett had set the tone and stifled the Braves’ offense for the night.

He allowed just four hits, and only one Atlanta baserunner made it as far as third base.

“He was very dominant,” said manager Terry Francona of Beckett, who improved to 10-1. “He threw strikes and he kept his fastball down in the zone. That’s the Beckett we’ve seen all year.”

It’s the same Beckett the Braves have seen all too much of. In the last 31 innings against Atlanta, Beckett has allowed just two runs for a 0.58 ERA.

“I made the big pitches when I needed to,” said Beckett, who was coming off his only loss of the season, a setback to Colorado last week at Fenway. “That was the key tonight. They’re a good-hitting team, very aggressive. They’re going to come after you.”

Beckett was ready when they did. The best Braves threat came in the first when Willie Harris doubled with one out, took third on a groundout and was joined on base by Chipper Jones (walk). But Beckett got Brian McCann on a flyout to right.

Beckett retired 10 of the final 12 hitters he faced, aided by a spectacular play in center from Coco Crisp.

With one out in the fifth, Cora fully extended himself and made a grab on a sinking liner by Atlanta starter Tim Hudson.

“Highlight-reel catch,” said Francona in admiration. “Fun to watch.”

For Crisp, the catch was every bit as good as the one he made last month in Texas, and nearly as incredible as the one he made on the Mets’ David Wright in Fenway last June.

As the tarp covered the field and the rain intensified, Francona made the decision that Beckett’s night was over.

Kyle Snyder pitched a perfect seventh before allowing an infield single to Kelly Johnson in the eighth. Hideki Okajima then walked pinch-hitter Matt Diaz, giving the Braves two on with none out.

But Okajima got Yunel Escobar to rap into a hard-hit double play to third, then got Chipper Jones on a flyout. Jonathan Papelbon retired all three hitters he faced in a non-save appearance in the ninth.

The win, coupled with the Yankees’ loss to Colorado, reestablished the Sox’ lead to nine full games in the American League East.

The Sox got the only run they would need when David Ortiz took Hudson the other way in the fourth, belting his 12th homer into the first row of seats in left.

A chance to break the game open followed as the Sox loaded the bases on a single by Manny Ramirez, a double from Kevin Youkilis — his 20th of the season — and an intentional walk to Jason Varitek.

But Crisp, who had a four-hit, two-homer night Monday, couldn’t produce, grounding to second and stranding three runners.

Alex Cora, starting at short over the slumping Julio Lugo, lashed a standup triple to open the fifth and rode home when Beckett, the Sox’ best-hitting pitcher, doubled to left.

“That ball hit me,” said Beckett, downplaying his offensive achievement, “more than I hit it.”

After Beckett had moved to third on an outfield flyout, Dustin Pedroia singled to center, scoring Beckett.

The Sox closed out the scoring in the sixth on a double by Varitek and a one-out sacrifice fly from Cora.

Hudson, who was chased in the sixth, was charged with all four runs. After two-hitting the Red Sox in August of 2003 while with Oakland, he’s now 0-6 with a 9.00 ERA since, having lost to them twice in the last month.

smcadam@projo.com