CHICAGO (AP) – Josh Beckett pitched eight strong innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Chicago White Sox 5-1 Monday night even though John Danks took a no-hitter into the seventh.

Kevin Youkilis’ broken-bat single ended the no-hit bid, and J.D. Drew’s two-run double put Boston ahead 2-1. Jed Lowrie added a two-run double in the ninth as the Red Sox gained a four-game split and moved within four games of first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.

While Danks retired his first 17 batters, the White Sox did little against Beckett (11-8). They fell out of first place in the AL Central, a half-game behind Minnesota.

Beckett yielded seven hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter for his second consecutive win.

Danks (9-5) did not allow a base runner until he hit Jacoby Ellsbury with a pitch in the sixth. Youkilis’ single to center with one out in the seventh momentarily drew boos from a crowd anticipating the first White Sox no-hitter since Mark Buehrle’s gem against Texas on April 18, 2007.

The fans then let out loud cheers for Danks, but a 1-0 lead quickly turned into a 2-1 deficit. Mike Lowell walked and, after Jason Bay struck out, Drew drove a double to deep center.

Danks took his first loss since May 24 despite allowing just two hits and two walks while tying a career high with nine strikeouts in seven innings. He was 6-0 in his previous 13 starts and was as sharp as he’s been all season on Monday.

He changed speeds, hit his spots, and the result was one off-balance swing after another.

The crowd roared when Drew struck out swinging at a high fastball to end the fifth, and the anticipation continued to build. There were groans when Danks hit Ellsbury with a 1-1 pitch in the sixth, but Coco Crisp grounded out to end the inning.

Dustin Pedroia opened the seventh with a fly to left before Youkilis broke up the no-hit bid. After Lowrie’s two-run double, Ellsbury added an RBI single to make it 5-1.

The White Sox scored in the third, when Nick Swisher led off with a single and scored on A.J. Pierzynski’s sacrifice fly.

Zink to start for Wakefield

Charlie Zink will replace fellow knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in the Boston Red Sox rotation.

Zink is scheduled to start against Texas on Tuesday. The team plans to purchase his contract from Triple-A Pawtucket that day and put the 42-year-old Wakefield on the disabled list with stiffness in his right shoulder.

Zink, who will turn 29 later this month, is 13-4 with a 2.89 ERA in 25 starts with Pawtucket this year. “Charlie has been throwing real good,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before Monday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox. “I think that everybody felt like it was a breakout year for him.”

Francona said he was optimistic that Wakefield, who is 7-8 with a 3.67 ERA, will only miss two starts. “He got a cortisone shot,” Francona said. “He’s going to be approximately three days without throwing.”

If Wakefield can’t return in two weeks, the Red Sox might alter their rotation with off days on Aug. 21 and 25.

AP-ES-08-11-08 2008EDT