"Even in the early going last night at Fenway Park, when Josh Beckett seemed to be cruising through his second start since spraining his ankle Sept. 5, he knew he was getting away with some things.

A couple of fly outs on mistake pitches. A walk that ended up being harmless.

Even the pitch that Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds hammered over the Monster in the second inning - "a front-door cutter that cut too much,'' as manager Terry Francona described it - did minimal damage, as it was a solo shot."