Beckett and Youkilis lead Red Sox over Tigers 5-1

By RON VAMPLE

Associated Press Writer

AP Photo

Boston Red Sox's Kevin Youkilis celebrates with teammates after the Red Sox defeated the Detroit Tigers 5-1 in a baseball game Thursday, May 8, 2008, in Detroit. Youkilis hit a two-run homer.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland (LEE'-lahnd) says Placido Polanco did his job by getting the game-winning hit. (Polanco had 5 hits and 3 rbis)

DETROIT --

Josh Beckett got eight strikeouts, including the 1,000th of his career and Kevin Youkilis hit another home run at spacious Comerica Park to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Thursday night.

Beckett (4-2) gave up six hits and a run in seven innings and Youkilis hit his third home run in two games, giving him eight in Detroit. He hasn't hit more than two outside Fenway Park.

The Red Sox took three of four in the series from the Tigers and have won six of their past seven, while Detroit has lost six of seven.

Justin Verlander (1-6) gave up five runs on nine hits in six innings. He struck out five, but allowed Jason Varitek's two-run single and Jacoby Ellsbury's sacrifice fly in the second inning, as well as Youkilis' two-run drive in the fifth.

Ramon Santiago hit a run-scoring single in the fourth. Curtis Granderson struck out four times and has seven whiffs in his past 10 at-bats for Detroit.