Bay Powers And Beckett Pitches The Red Sox To Victory Over The A's...5-2 Boston

Jason Bay had a home run and two hits and Josh Beckett continued his savior role and pitch the Boston Red Sox to a 5-2 victory over the Oakland A's. In all, he was able to go a dominant 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits, walking two and whiffing four. He IS the Boston Red Sox ace. His manager and teammate Jason Varitek had this praise...

“He enjoys that responsibility,’’ Sox manager Terry Francona said. "He’s one of the best,’’ Francona said. “He’s fearless. Our guys look up to him. He’s really grown into it.’’

“He’s been our bulldog,’’ catcher Jason Varitek said. “When he’s healthy, he can really do harm with a baseball.’’

What say you, All Star Jason Bay...

"It must be tough for a pitcher, you have to wait five days for a chance, and you feel like you’ve got some gas left when they say you’re done. I think that’s what makes him - he has the stuff and the mentality. In the course of baseball, you have guys who have stuff and not the mentality and vice versa. He’s got the perfect amount of both of them.”

Oakland manager Bob Geren realized that the Red Sox were playing, especially pitching, at a different level last night.

“Beckett’s definitely one of the elite pitchers in the league and he was throwing up to 97 miles an hour with some movement,” said Geren. “He didn’t make too many mistakes, I guess, is the easiest way to put it. He really didn’t.”

Thanks Josh and keep it up. At the near-halfway part of the season, just before the All Star break, you're halfway to a 20 win season. Can you say Cy? We'll see but it's SO great to see you trot out to the mound every five days. See you on Sunday for the last game before the All Star break. Oh, there are rumors that the Toronto Blue Jays MIGHT be willing to trade their ace, "Doc" Halladay, but I'll leave that one alone...for a while.

Thanks again for stopping in and your comments are always welcome and always answered. Please click on this post's title for more Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL. I mean that. See ya.