Beckett's problems against Yankees continue

It's "who's your daddy?" all over again.

Pedro Martinez's famously exasperated analysis of his own pitching problems against the Yankees in 2004 seems to go hand-in-hand with Josh Beckett's own in 2010. Although the nameplate on his locker still reads "Josh Beckett,'' the guy on the mound doesn't quite seem to be, especially in the Bronx.

In his fourth start since returning from a lengthy stay on the disabled list, Beckett allowed seven runs - all earned - in 42/3 innings and took the loss in the Yankees' 7-2 win Sunday night. Beckett gave up 11 hits and two walks. He had six strikeouts and hit a batter.

"I think we wanted so bad for him to be Beckett, not be out there in name only," manager Terry Francona said before the game.

Beckett posted a 7.29 ERA in his first eight starts this season - including a 10.43 ERA in three starts against the Yankees - before he went on the disabled list with a lower back strain. In his first three starts since his return, Beckett had a 2.17 ERA.

"He's throwing the ball really well," Francona said before the game. "And he's not throwing the ball really well for one or two games and then backing off. He's throwing the ball and you can see the progression getting better . . . I think that really should bode well for us."

But those outings were against Cleveland, Los Angeles and Seattle - teams with little postseason hope. This was Beckett's first test against a contender.

Things got off to a bad start when Lance Berkman - who was 2-for-22 to start his Yankees career - doubled off Beckett in the second inning and scored on Bill Hall's throwing error.

Berkman, who had surgery on his left knee before the season, got three hits off Beckett, running hard for a double to right in the second inning and legging out an infield hit in the third before doubling to left to drive in a run during a five-run fifth that ultimately chased Beckett.

Beckett walked the proverbial tightrope the first four innings, allowing eight hits but just two runs. Hall homered in the top of the fifth to cut Boston's deficit to 2-1, but it got ugly for Beckett in the bottom of the inning.

Mark Teixeira hit his 25th home run. Berkman's one-out double drove in a run. Kevin Cash's two-out throwing error allowed another run to score. By then, Beckett was on the ropes and one of his most frequent sparring partners, Derek Jeter, was due up.

Entering the game, Beckett had faced Jeter 64 times (.283 average), the second-most plate appearances of any player he's pitched against.

Jeter's two-run double capped the scoring in the inning and ended Beckett's night, the fourth time in 12 starts this season that he's failed to complete five innings - three of which came against the Yankees. His 2010 ERA against the Yankees increased to 10.80.

Beckett said he has no idea why he hasn't had success against the Yankees this season. "I don't break it down like that," he said. "It's frustrating, but I don't break it down like that."

And despite two Red Sox errors that contributed to runs, he put the loss on himself.

"You give up seven runs, who else are you gonna blame?" Beckett said. "It's nobody else's fault in here."