ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell had an immediate impact in their return to the lineup for the AL wild card-leading Boston Red Sox.
Beckett struck out seven over five scoreless innings in his first start in nearly three weeks and Lowell came off the disabled list to go 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs, helping Boston beat the Texas Rangers 8-1 on Friday night.
The Red Sox won their fourth straight game to move within 2 1/2 games of AL East-leading Tampa Bay, a 6-4 loser at Toronto. They remained 5 1/2 games ahead of Minnesota in the wild-card race.
Beckett (12-9), who hadn't pitched since Aug. 17 because of an inflamed right elbow, struck out four of the first eight batters he faced. The right-hander was on a limited pitch count, throwing 49 of his 80 pitches for strikes without walking a batter and allowing four singles.
Manny Delcarmen, Justin Masterson and Hideki Okajima finished for the Red Sox, who missed their majors-best 14th shutout when Nelson Cruz hit a two-out RBI single off Okajima in the ninth.
Lowell, who was on the DL with a strained right oblique muscle, put the Red Sox ahead 1-0 in the second inning when he homered in his first at-bat since Aug. 12. The third baseman added a two-run single in the fourth and an RBI double in the ninth.
Coco Crisp went 3-for-5 with three RBIs for Boston.
Kevin Millwood (9-8) allowed seven runs, six earned, and nine hits in six innings. The right-hander had won three straight decisions, his longest winning streak since 2002, giving up only four runs over 24 2-3 innings with two complete games in that stretch.
The Red Sox declared Beckett ready to return after he threw 58 pitches without any problems in a bullpen session Tuesday.
Beckett didn't allow a hit until Joaquin Arias led off the fourth with an infield single, the first of three Texas hits in the inning. But Michael Young grounded into a double play before consecutive singles and a strikeout.
Seven different Texas batters struck out against Beckett, who in his last start allowed a season-high eight runs in only 2 1-3 innings.
Crisp had a two-run single in the fourth, on a flare to short center that ricocheted off the glove of backpedaling second baseman Arias. The Red Sox had back-to-back triples in the sixth, Crisp driving in a run with his before scoring on Jacoby Ellsbury's triple into the right-field corner.
AL batting leader Dustin Pedroia extended his hitting streak to nine games with a double in the first, a play on which Texas left fielder Marlon Byrd sprained his left thumb trying to make a diving catch. Pedroia was 1-for-4 with a walk, dropping his average a point to .332.
Pedroia's liner short-hopped into Byrd's glove, which came off his hand when it hit the ground. Byrd stayed in the game then, but was replaced in the top of the second. X-rays were negative and the Rangers said Byrd is day to day.
The crowd of 30,264 was heavy with Boston fans, who were chanting ``Let's Go Red Sox!'' early in the game and easily drowned out the home fans.
Notes: Boston is 8-0 against the Rangers this season, outscoring them 75-36. ... Crisp is 21-for-46 his last 13 games. ... RHP Tim Wakefield is scheduled to make his 500th career appearance for Boston when he starts Saturday night. He will be only the 23rd pitcher in major league history to pitch in 500 games and make 350 starts for the same team. Bob Stanley (1977-89) is the only Boston pitcher with more appearances (637).
