ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Josh Beckett was a dribbler from being perfect.
The Boston right-hander pitched the first one-hitter of his career Wednesday night, limiting the Tampa Bay Rays to Reid Brignac's third-inning infield single in a 3-0 Red Sox victory.
"I felt good. They were hitting balls at guys, and that's nice," Beckett said after his fifth career shutout and first complete game since 2009. "When you miss your spot and they still hit it at somebody, it's just one of those nights."
Kevin Youkilis hit a three-run homer and Beckett retired the last 19 batters he faced in outdueling rookie Jeremy Hellickson, who matched the Boston starter out for out into the seventh inning.
Beckett struck out six and walked none while throwing 97 pitches to post his first shutout since blanking Kansas City 6-0 at Fenway Park on July 12, 2009. It was his 10th complete game, and first since a 9-1, five-inning victory over the Rays at home on Sept. 12, 2009.
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"That's about as good as you can pitch," Boston manager Terry Francona said, noting Brignac's hit came on a low changeup that probably would have bounced if he had swung and missed.
"If it wasn't for that little 3-iron out of the rough - that ball was about off the dirt," Francona added. "He was tremendous. It was fun to watch."
Beckett said as the game progressed he never thought about what might have been if Brignac had not reached base.
"No. Because it was a hit," Beckett said. "It doesn't matter who's playing over there. It's a hit. It wasn't a perfect game. It was a one-hitter."
Youkilis homered off Hellickson (7-5) in the seventh, ending the young right-hander's streak of consecutive innings without allowing a run at home at 24.
