Beckett sends a chill down Indians’ spine

CLEVELAND -- Josh Beckett’s back couldn’t have been too sore. If it was, how could the Boston ace have hoisted 24 teammates, a manager, six coaches and the hopes of an entire Red Sox Nation on his shoulders and all but carried them from the shores of Lake Erie to the banks of the Charles River, like he did Thursday night?

With his team facing elimination in the American League Championship Series and rumors swirling that he was less than 100%, Beckett threw eight sturdy innings, allowing one run and five hits, to lead the Red Sox to a 7-1 Game 5 victory over the Cleveland Indians in a suddenly silent Jacobs Field.

Beckett, who is 3-0 with a 1.17 earned-run average in three postseason starts, allowed one run and three hits in the first inning and blanked the Indians on two hits over the next seven innings.

The Red Sox broke open a one-run game with two runs in the seventh and three in the eighth to pull within 3-2 in the best-of-seven series, which returns to Fenway Park for Game 6 Saturday night, when Boston veteran Curt Schilling will oppose hard-throwing right-hander Fausto Carmona.

“I have a lot of confidence in this team,” said Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez, so buoyant he spoke to reporters for a second straight day, an unprecedented act of accessibility for the reclusive slugger. “We have nothing to lose. Whatever happens, happens.”

It was no coincidence that as Ramirez, who cost his team a run by failing to slide into home in the first inning, addressed the media he wore a crisp white shirt with purple stripes and a purple tie -- the colors of the National League pennant-winning Colorado Rockies.

“I’m trying to take this tie to Colorado,” Ramirez said.

If he does, he can thank Beckett, who tied the Indians up in knots. The right-hander struck out 11 and walked one, he had an outstanding curve all night and was still hitting 96 mph with his fastball in the eighth inning.

Beckett now has a 1.78 ERA in 65 2/3 career postseason innings, third lowest among pitchers with at least 50 career postseason innings, behind Mariano Rivera (0.77) and Sandy Koufax (0.95), but he has been even more dominant this October.

“Beckett was unbelievable -- that was one of the best performances I’ve seen in my life,” said designated hitter David Ortiz, who drove in two runs with a pair of sacrifice flies. “He’s the best.”

Beckett, who threw 109 pitches, 74 for strikes, said he “felt good” and was confident he could give the Red Sox a few innings in Game 7 if there is one, an indication his back is just fine. He was as unflappable in his postgame news conference as he was on the mound.

Asked if he was bothered by the fact the Indians had his ex-girlfriend, country singer Danielle Peck, perform the national anthem, he said, “I don’t get paid to make those . . . decisions. She’s a friend of mine. That doesn’t bother me. Thanks for flying one of my friends to the game so she could watch for free.”

And what about that fifth-inning shouting match between Beckett and Indians outfielder Kenny Lofton, an altercation that emptied players from both dugouts and bullpens but resulted in no shoves or punches?

“It kind of goes back before today,” Beckett said. “Those things have a way of working themselves out, though.”

Boston Manager Terry Francona was second-guessed throughout New England for his decision to start knuckleball-throwing Tim Wakefield in Game 4 instead of Beckett on three days’ rest. Wakefield gave up five runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 7-3 loss.

Thursday night, Cleveland Manager Eric Wedge took his turn on the hot seat, Indians fans no doubt wondering why he stuck with starter C.C. Sabathia in what turned out to be a decisive seventh. Sabathia gave up two runs and eight hits in six innings, including Kevin Youkilis’ solo home run in the first and Ramirez’s run-scoring single off the top of the right-center-field wall in the third, but it took him 106 pitches to reach that point.

Setup man Rafael Betancourt, who allowed one hit and no runs in 5 1/3 innings of the previous three ALCS games, was warm, but Wedge sent Sabathia out to face the top of the Red Sox order in the seventh.

Within a span of six pitches, Dustin Pedroia doubled to right-center and Youkilis tripled off the glove of diving center fielder Grady Sizemore, pushing the lead to 3-1. Betancourt replaced Sabathia and got Ortiz on a sacrifice fly to left, struck out Ramirez and got Mike Lowell to fly to center, ending the inning.

But the damage was done, and Boston tacked on three runs in the eighth off struggling reliever Rafael Perez.

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com