G37: Red Sox 5, Mariners 3

Red Sox  - 220 010 000 - 5  6  1
Mariners - 020 100 000 - 3  6  0

Josh Beckett went much deeper in the game than expected after throwing 77 pitches through four innings. He ended up with this line: 7-4-3-3-5, 119 (one of the three runs was unearned).

Of the six Boston hits, three were home runs -- and they accounted for all of the team's runs: Jason Bay hit a two-run shot in the first, Jason Varitek went deep for two runs in the second, and Jeff Bailey led off the fifth with a solo blast.

Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. The other two hits were singles by Julio Lugo and Mike Lowell.

All five AL East teams won on Saturday, so Boston stays 2 GB behind Toronto and New York is still 4.5 GB.

***

Josh Beckett (6.42, 78 ERA+) / Garrett Olson (2.57, 178 ERA+)

Happy 29th Birthday (yesterday) to Josh Beckett, who is coming off two 6 IP/3 ER outings against the Yankees and Rays.

Same lineup as last night.

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Bay, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Rocco Baldelli, DH
Julio Lugo, SS
Jason Varitek, C
Jeff Bailey, 1B

This will be Olson's first start of the season, after pitching seven innings in relief.