MLB: Boston 4, Atlanta 1

ATLANTA, June 26 (UPI) -- Josh Beckett threw seven shutout innings Friday and did not walk a batter in carrying the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 inter-league win over Atlanta.

The Red Sox maintained a four-game lead over the New York Yankees in the American League East with a well-pitched game and a go-ahead home run by David Ortiz in the fifth inning.

Beckett (9-3) struck out six and gave up six hits before giving way to the bullpen. Atlanta's lone run came on a homer in the ninth by David Ross off Jonathan Papelbon.

After Ortiz hit his eighth homer of the season, J.D. Drew drove in a run in the sixth with a ground out. The Red Sox added two more in the eighth on an RBI single by Dustin Pedroia and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Kevin Youkilis.

Jair Jurrjens (5-6) took the loss despite a solid eight innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.