Turnin 2 SS 2b
07-23-2002, 01:36 PM
MIAMI - High heat helped Josh Beckett turn in a career performance Sunday, as the Marlins rookie cooled off the slumping Expos.
Beckett registered a personal best 12 strikeouts in the Marlins' 4-0 decision over Montreal before 8,320 at Pro Player Stadium.
Flashing glimpses of greatness, the 22-year-old overpowered Montreal over six innings.
Beckett, Graeme Lloyd and Vladimir Nunez combined for a franchise-high 17 strikeouts, eclipsing the previous best of 14.
"High fastballs," Beckett said. "I struck a lot of guys out on high fastballs. Some days, those get hit; some days, they don't. I was fortunate today."
Considering how Beckett has spent two stints on the DL with blister problems, the rookie was due to catch a break, because in recent months he has had little to cheer about.
The victory was Beckett's first since May 19, when he topped the Giants in San Francisco, and it extended Florida's winning streak to three after an eight-game slide.
Beckett came off the DL on July 16 and was promptly tagged for a 10-5 loss at New York. The Mets sent him to an early exit after just five innings.
Preventing Beckett from stretching Sunday's start longer than six innings was a high pitch count: 104.
Beckett blames four walks issued in the first three innings for shortening his afternoon.
"The walks were killer," he said. "Four walks in the first three innings ... that prevented me from going out there in the seventh. That was Skip's [manager Jeff Torborg] decision.
"We will eventually [pitch deeper into the game]. We just have to build up. My outing was so bad the other day that they couldn't keep sending me out there. I would have loved to give the team six innings the other day in New York, but they had to pull me. I didn't get to build up 20 more pitches."
Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg says Beckett made an adjustment in his release point in the third inning that got him rolling.
Though Beckett was building a high strikeout count, the Marlins coaches were concerned in the early going that the right-hander was getting his pitches up, inviting danger.
Once the right-hander altered his delivery, he was spotting 95 mph fastballs on the corners and keeping Montreal off stride with changeups and curveballs.
Arnsberg added that if Beckett's arm and blister are fine, his next outing should last about 120 pitches.
If Beckett continues to uncork the strikeout ability he showed against the Expos, it could be scary.
Putting Beckett's performance into perspective, consider that he fanned Vladimir Guerrero three times. He added a strikeout against former Marlin Cliff Floyd and whiffed Andres Galarraga twice.
For the game, the middle of Montreal's order went hitless in 12 at-bats.
The only Montreal starter not to strike out was leadoff hitter Brad Wilkerson, who walked three times and had one of the team's three total hits.
"Without question, this kid has got a chance to strike out 10 to 12 batters every time out there," Arnsberg said.
Prior to Sunday, Beckett's career strikeout high was 11 in seven innings on April 23 against Houston.
Although he fanned 12 and gave up no runs on only three hits, the first thing Beckett talked to reporters about after the game were the four walks.
"It seems like I had to make big pitches every inning," Beckett said. "In most good games, you have to execute a big pitch perhaps once every three innings. Today, it seemed like every inning I had to make a big pitch."
In sweeping Montreal, the Marlins gave up just two runs in the entire series. Florida's staff recorded two straight shutouts and rolled up a string of 23 consecutive scoreless innings.
It's the fifth time in franchise history the team has had back-to-back shutouts.
Brad Penny collected the initial shutout in Saturday's 3-0 win.
Backing up the successive no-run starts was yet another solid performance by the bullpen, which has tossed 13 straight scoreless innings.
Lloyd fanned two in the seventh against his former teammates. And Nunez worked two strong innings, striking out the side in the ninth for his 20th save.
"This is what I've been looking for the past two months," Torborg said. "Maybe this will get us in line now."
Beckett registered a personal best 12 strikeouts in the Marlins' 4-0 decision over Montreal before 8,320 at Pro Player Stadium.
Flashing glimpses of greatness, the 22-year-old overpowered Montreal over six innings.
Beckett, Graeme Lloyd and Vladimir Nunez combined for a franchise-high 17 strikeouts, eclipsing the previous best of 14.
"High fastballs," Beckett said. "I struck a lot of guys out on high fastballs. Some days, those get hit; some days, they don't. I was fortunate today."
Considering how Beckett has spent two stints on the DL with blister problems, the rookie was due to catch a break, because in recent months he has had little to cheer about.
The victory was Beckett's first since May 19, when he topped the Giants in San Francisco, and it extended Florida's winning streak to three after an eight-game slide.
Beckett came off the DL on July 16 and was promptly tagged for a 10-5 loss at New York. The Mets sent him to an early exit after just five innings.
Preventing Beckett from stretching Sunday's start longer than six innings was a high pitch count: 104.
Beckett blames four walks issued in the first three innings for shortening his afternoon.
"The walks were killer," he said. "Four walks in the first three innings ... that prevented me from going out there in the seventh. That was Skip's [manager Jeff Torborg] decision.
"We will eventually [pitch deeper into the game]. We just have to build up. My outing was so bad the other day that they couldn't keep sending me out there. I would have loved to give the team six innings the other day in New York, but they had to pull me. I didn't get to build up 20 more pitches."
Pitching coach Brad Arnsberg says Beckett made an adjustment in his release point in the third inning that got him rolling.
Though Beckett was building a high strikeout count, the Marlins coaches were concerned in the early going that the right-hander was getting his pitches up, inviting danger.
Once the right-hander altered his delivery, he was spotting 95 mph fastballs on the corners and keeping Montreal off stride with changeups and curveballs.
Arnsberg added that if Beckett's arm and blister are fine, his next outing should last about 120 pitches.
If Beckett continues to uncork the strikeout ability he showed against the Expos, it could be scary.
Putting Beckett's performance into perspective, consider that he fanned Vladimir Guerrero three times. He added a strikeout against former Marlin Cliff Floyd and whiffed Andres Galarraga twice.
For the game, the middle of Montreal's order went hitless in 12 at-bats.
The only Montreal starter not to strike out was leadoff hitter Brad Wilkerson, who walked three times and had one of the team's three total hits.
"Without question, this kid has got a chance to strike out 10 to 12 batters every time out there," Arnsberg said.
Prior to Sunday, Beckett's career strikeout high was 11 in seven innings on April 23 against Houston.
Although he fanned 12 and gave up no runs on only three hits, the first thing Beckett talked to reporters about after the game were the four walks.
"It seems like I had to make big pitches every inning," Beckett said. "In most good games, you have to execute a big pitch perhaps once every three innings. Today, it seemed like every inning I had to make a big pitch."
In sweeping Montreal, the Marlins gave up just two runs in the entire series. Florida's staff recorded two straight shutouts and rolled up a string of 23 consecutive scoreless innings.
It's the fifth time in franchise history the team has had back-to-back shutouts.
Brad Penny collected the initial shutout in Saturday's 3-0 win.
Backing up the successive no-run starts was yet another solid performance by the bullpen, which has tossed 13 straight scoreless innings.
Lloyd fanned two in the seventh against his former teammates. And Nunez worked two strong innings, striking out the side in the ninth for his 20th save.
"This is what I've been looking for the past two months," Torborg said. "Maybe this will get us in line now."