Posted by David Pevear, Sun Staff

Red Sox ace Josh Beckett has been scratched from his start tonight against the Los Angeles Angels due to a stiff neck. David Pauley has been called up from Pawtucket to start in Beckett’s place. Utilityman Joe Thurston was designated for assignment.
Beckett in recent days has battled the flu-like virus that has ripped through the Boston clubhouse. He showed up Tuesday afternoon with a stiff neck.
"Whether it's related (to the virus), how do you know?" said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "We're not going to run him out there and have him potentially hurt his shoulder because he has a stiff neck."
Pauley is 1-1 with a 1.17 ERA at Pawtucket. His most recent start was April 15 at Indianapolis where the 24-year-old right-hander allowed 1 earned run on 4 hits over six innings.
"He was pulled out of his start the other night (in Pawtucket) in case we had a problem with an illness," said Francona. "David has pitched here before (0-2, 7.88 ERA in three starts for Boston in 2006). This move was in place just in case."
In 2006, Pauley was a fill-in at Yankee Stadium and allowed 2 runs on 8 hits and 2 walks over 6 2/3 innings of a 2-1 loss to Chien-Ming Wang.
With Jason Varitek sidelined for the third straight day by the flu, the Red Sox will play tonight without a backup catcher. Kevin Cash will start. In an emergency, Dustin Pedroia would go behind the plate.
“Pedroia says he can be the backup catcher,” said Francona, “and at this point, that’s good enough for me.”