No, Josh Beckett wasn’t really three innings into a no-hitter. One does not record 18 more outs with the sort of pitch count Josh Beckett was dealing with. But now it’s 100% official, as Mike Napoli went quite deep to give the Rangers both their first hit and first run of the game.
It did not, however, really make any difference in the overall complexion of the game, as the Sox had already scored in the first half of the inning. Darnell McDonald legged out the second Boston infield single of the game, and came home on Marco Scutaro’s double. Score one for the weaker half of the lineup.
76 pitches now for Beckett. Six innings is still quite likely, but seven is definitely a stretch.