Beckett frustrated with Bucknor, self

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- After the Red Sox' 4-1 loss to the Angels, Josh Beckett was still confused as to the way home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor handled an incident in the seventh inning when the Sox starter hit Mike Napoli with a curveball the batter seemingly turned into.

After Bucknor awarded the base to Napoli, Beckett immediately yelled into the umpire, saying, "He didn't move out of the way!" Yet, it was how the ump handled the situation following the hit batsman that frustrated the pitcher.

"I just wanted him to show me some respect," Beckett said. "He just straight-faced me and walked away. He'd be pissed if I did that to him. Just listen to what I have to say. Don't just take your mask off, and walk away. I know I can't say anything. I guess they have more power than anybody. It's a frustrating deal because ... I'm not even a person that you'll respect. I don't know what I need to do."

Beckett, who allowed four runs on five hits over 6-2/3 innings — succumbing to a three-run seventh, did, however, want to make it clear that he did not have a problem with the calling of balls and strikes by Bucknor, just the incident following the Napoli hit-by-pitch.

"I thought C.B. did a great job tonight," Beckett said. "I just didn't understand [the reaction to the hurler's complaint]."

As for Beckett's outing, it appeared to be going smoothly until that seventh. With two outs and pinch-runner Howie Kendrick at second base, Maicer Izturis rifled a single into right-center field to give the Angels the lead for good. After Beckett hit Napoli, Erick Aybar launched a triple over the head of center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury to add two more runs.

"I just made a [expletive] horse-[expletive] pitch to him and I made a horse-[expletive] pitch to Aybar," Beckett said. "Horrible locations, you get your [butt] kicked.

"If I make the pitch to Itzuris I don't have to worry about facing Aybar. This one is mine. It sucks. You've got to make one of those two pitches."