Beckett, Red Sox displace the Rays

BOSTON -- Josh Beckett allowed one run in six strong innings and the Boston Red Sox won their 12th straight home game to take the AL East lead from Tampa Bay with a 5-1 victory over the Rays on Wednesday night.

The scariest moment for Beckett came when his left foot appeared to slip as it landed on a pitch to Cliff Floyd in the sixth inning. Manager Terry Francona and assistant trainer Mike Reinold went to the mound to check on him. Beckett stayed in the game and struck out Floyd.

Beckett (6-4) left after throwing 92 pitches but was not injured, team spokesman John Blake said. He allowed seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks, the eighth time in 11 starts he walked one or no batters.

Despite dropping half a game behind the Red Sox and ending 10 days in first place, the Rays are a franchise-high 11 games over .500. Last season, they finished 30 games behind Boston.

J.D. Drew, batting third in place of the injured David Ortiz (wrist), continued his surge with an RBI double, a single and two runs.

Edwin Jackson’s struggles at Fenway continued as he left after five innings trailing, 4-1. Jackson (3-5) is 0-3 in his career there, allowing 20 earned runs in 22 innings.