Randy Ruiz had grown to expect that a phone call from his team's front office meant only one thing: pack your bags and get ready to move on to a new franchise.

Josh Beckett pitched 3 1-3 innings after missing his last start because of an illness, allowing four runs on six hits as the Boston Red Sox lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-7 on Friday.

Albert Pujols hit his first home run of the spring, but right-hander Chris Carpenter was pounded for seven runs Friday in the St.