Beckett Gets 1000th Strike-Out; Red Sox Take Series

Josh Beckett took the win in the Boston Red Sox‘ 5-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday.  The Red Sox have won six of their last seven games, while the Tigers have lost six of their last seven.  Boston is in first place in the American League East Division, 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Tampa Bay Rays, with a 23-14 record.  In contrast, the Tigers are in last place in the American League Central Divsion, with a 15-21 record, 3.5 games behind the first place Minnesota Twins.

Kevin Youkilis homered in Thursday’s game, bringing his HR total for the series to four and for the season to seven.   The Red Sox took three games in the series.

Losing pitcher Justin Verlander is now 1-6.  Last year, he didn’t lose his last game until September 18.

Beckett’s record is now 4-2.  The winner of the 2007 All-Star game, he also took the win in the first game of the 2007 World Series, which the Red Sox swept from the Colorado Rockies.  Before being traded to Boston, Beckett had played in the 2003 World Series, too, with the Florida Marlins, and was elected the World Series MVP that year.  Beckett can also swing a bat, being the only Red Sox pitcher in the last 35 years to hit a home run.

Tags: Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Josh Beckett