In their defense, money was well spent

At the beginning of the season, the Red Sox earmarked $25.1 million of their payroll, not including the $15 million the club agreed to pay on the remainder of Edgar Renteria's $40 million pact, to revamp their infield and, presumably, to upgrade their defense.

But, if he were given control of the team's purse strings for a day, there's no doubt Josh Beckett would have likely given his infielders a hefty bonus for the way they picked him up in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the Blue Jays.

What got the combustible righthander really fired up, though, was when Shea Hillenbrand came up with the bases loaded and one out in the first and grounded into a double play -- shortstop Alex Gonzalez to second baseman Mark Loretta to first baseman Kevin Youkilis -- that bailed Beckett out of a jam and left the score 1-0.

It was a play that underscored the reason the Sox made such a financial commitment to their defense by adding, essentially, three new faces (third baseman Mike Lowell, Gonzalez, and Loretta) and one familiar one (Youkilis).

''That guy [Hillenbrand] hits a double right there and we're down, 4-0, instead of 1-0," Beckett said afterward. ''As I said, that goes back to the guys playing behind me, and it's nice to have guys like Gonzo, Loretta, and Mikey Lowell [back there]."

If there were any lingering concerns about the composition of the Sox' infield, and the chemistry they would need to coexist, they seemed to be put to rest, if only temporarily, in the home opener.

''Chemistry mainly has to do with your two middle infielders," Youkilis said before last night's game against the Blue Jays. ''I don't think you really have to worry about the two corner guys, because there's really no chemistry involved there. The two middle infielders are the two guys who are going to be turning the double plays the most."

And that explained why Loretta, who was acquired from the San Diego Padres in exchange for catcher Doug Mirabelli, felt it was so important to establish that bond with Gonzalez in spring training.

''I think it's nice that Alex and Mike Lowell have played together on the left side of the infield [with the Florida Marlins]," said Loretta, who was the 12th different second baseman since 1994 to start for the Sox on opening day at Fenway Park. ''That's a nice chemistry they've had for several years. Mike knows where to play and he knows Alex's range in the hole."

But if he and Gonzalez were going to establish that same on-field rapport, Loretta knew it was important they spend extra time working in Fort Myers, Fla.

''Secretly, I was glad he didn't play in the World Baseball Classic," Loretta said of Gonzalez, who was signed as a free agent (one year, $3 million) and came to the Sox regarded as one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. ''Even though it was disappointing to him, I think for us it was important to get some games under our belt together and work in the practice fields and things like that.

''It doesn't take too long. Just some subtle things that you pick up on. It's not a real dramatic period."

But it already produced one dramatic double play in the fourth inning of the home opener.

After Beckett issued Lyle Overbay a leadoff walk, Youkilis came up with a dandy snag with a sliding over-the-shoulder grab of Hillenbrand's pop foul down the right-field line.

''You've got to be able to show some glove in this game in order to stay here -- unless you're David Ortiz," Youkilis said. ''There's not too many guys who can stay in the major leagues without working hard on defense and trying to get better each day."

Bengie Molina came up and hit a line shot toward second. Loretta tried to snare it, but was only able to knock it toward Gonzalez, who alertly scooped up the ball, stepped on the bag, and turned the double play by throwing Molina out at first.

Score it: 4-6-3, double play.

''That was just a fluky thing," Loretta said, when it was suggested the play made it seem as if he and Gonzalez had been paired for more than just a handful of games. ''I was trying to get up as high as I could and couldn't get up high enough to catch it and somehow the ball knocked right to him, so it was just a good coincidence for us."

And an even better one for Beckett.

''It's going to be our goal to have the pitchers feel that if they make their pitch and execute, then the plays will be made," Loretta said. ''That's really the best compliment that we can get."