BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — Josh Beckett pitched 3 1-3 innings after missing his last start because of an illness, allowing four runs on six hits as the Boston Red Sox lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-7 on Friday.
Beckett, who walked two and struck out one, was slated to pitch Sunday against the Minnesota Twins but was a late scratch. He expects to be ready for Boston’s season opener April 4 against the New York Yankees.
Pirates left-hander Paul Maholm worked four innings and gave up three runs, two of them unearned. David Ortiz hit a two-run homer off Maholm in the first inning.
Delwyn Young knocked Beckett out of the game with a two-run home run, his fifth homer of the spring — all coming in a six-game span. Garrett Jones and Steve Pearce also hit two-run homers for the Pirates.