Beckett strikes out 8, Youkilis homers again for Boston

Associated Press/AP Online

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.