BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox saw both their season-best winning streak and string of impressive pitching efforts come to an end their last time out.
With the way Josh Beckett has performed recently, he might be able to help Boston get back on track.
Looking for a third straight victory, Beckett takes the mound for the visiting Red Sox as they continue a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday night.
Boston (10-12) entered Tuesday's game having won five straight, and its starters went at least five innings while allowing fewer than three runs in a franchise best-tying nine consecutive games. However, Clay Buchholz gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-1 loss.
Beckett (2-1, 1.93 ERA) could give Boston a chance to rebound quickly.
Since losing in his season debut on April 5, the right-hander has gone 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts. He gave up two runs and three hits in eight innings of Thursday's 4-2, 11-inning road win over the Los Angeles Angels.
"He pitched well," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told the Red Sox' official website. "He isn't reinventing himself — he just has good stuff."
The two-time All-Star, who went 6-6 with a career-worst 5.78 ERA over 21 starts in an injury-riddled 2010 campaign, is looking more like the pitcher who won 80 games from 2005-09 — the third-highest total in the majors over that span.
"It's nice to have confidence in your pitches," Beckett said. "That's something that I definitely have right now. I'm throwing three or four pitches, all of them for strikes when I need them for strikes and for balls when I need them for balls."
Beckett, 5-2 with a 2.94 ERA lifetime at Baltimore, is 1-1 with a 1.71 ERA during his last three meetings with the Orioles (9-12) overall.
Jeremy Guthrie (1-3, 3.12), Baltimore's scheduled starter, has also pitched well, allowing two runs or fewer in three of his four starts. The right-hander surrendered two runs and seven hits over seven innings in Thursday's 3-1 loss to Minnesota.
Guthrie, 0-2 at home this season despite a 2.08 ERA, is 0-7 with a 6.32 ERA in his last nine starts against the Red Sox, during which he has given up 13 home runs in 52 2/3 innings. His 16 career homers allowed against Boston are tied for the most against any opponent.
The Red Sox' offense was quieted by promising rookie Zach Britton on Tuesday, and saw its road batting average drop to a major-league-worst .209 after collecting just six hits.
"Four runs with the way [Britton] was pitching was too much," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said as Britton became the first starter in Orioles history to win four games in April. "He bent but he didn't break. We just didn't have the offense."
Third baseman Kevin Youkilis, batting .212, went 0-for-3 with an RBI. Struggling outfielder Carl Crawford failed to record a hit in four at-bats, lowering his average to .163. Youkilis and Crawford, though, are a combined 26-for-78 (.333) lifetime against Guthrie.
Vladimir Guerrero, a career .319 hitter, is 10-for-40 with two home runs lifetime against Beckett. In contrast, Luke Scott, who was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI on Tuesday, is 9-for-20 (.450) with two homers.