Arizona edges Sox

Diamondbacks 2, Red Sox 1

There haven’t been too many classic mound showdowns between aces at the Fens this season, but last night’s duel will certainly go into the books as one.

Sox right-hander Josh Beckett and Arizona Diamondbacks righty Dan Haren both had filthy stuff on display, but Boston’s resident ace eventually fell by a 2-1 score at Fenway Park.

It was the third time this season that Beckett has blinked when locking horns with another team’s most-heralded hurler, as both Tampa Bay’s James Shields and Oakland Athletics righty Justin Duchscherer one-upped Beckett in road shutout losses earlier this season.

The unseasoned Diamondbacks offense, which has gone through peaks and valleys already this season, managed only three hits through the first six innings against vintage Beckett, while the Sox offense was non-existent against Haren.

The Sox only hit against Haren through the first six frames was a leadoff double by Jason Varitek in the fourth inning that snapped an 0-for-24 stretch for the captain. Haren then retired Coco Crisp, Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia to end the threat.

For much of the night, Beckett was simply overpowering. He had a crackling fastball that was lighting up the radar gun, and had superior command of both his curveball and change up — a combination that left the Arizona batters slithering around for answers. Beckett finished with eight full innings pitched, and allowed two runs on five hits while fanning eight Diamondbacks in defeat.

Unfortunately for Beckett and the Olde Towne Team, a young and hungry Arizona attack uncoiled for two runs in the seventh frame.

It all started with — you guessed it — a leadoff walk to first baseman Connor Jackson. A one-out Mark Reynolds single followed to put runners on first and second, and 24-year-old centerfielder Chris Young bashed an RBI double off the Green Monster.

Brandon Moss — filling in at first after Kevin Youkilis was cracked in the face by an errant warmup throw — bobbled a Chris Snyder grounder at first before ultimately making the play, but Reynolds scored to make it 2-0.

A J.D. Drew sacrifice fly to centerfield halved the lead in the bottom of the ninth, but Diamondbacks reliever Tony Peña retired Manny Ramirez on a scorching liner to third to squelch the rally.