I spent the better part of Saturday morning shaking off a nasty hangover, slowly getting feeling back in my extremities after freezing in the right field boxes Friday night, and worrying that this Red Sox team might be closed for business by June.

Then Beckett and Lowrie happened, to remind me that if these two can carry us through the rough spots, it’s only a matter of time until the entire team — or at least everyone not named “John Lackey” — kicks it up a notch.

Commander Kickass was supposed to be this year’s X factor. The guy around whom discussion always started with “If…” But from the short sample size that 2011 has thus far given us, he’s been the only starter to exhibit any sense of consistency. Or at least go two straight starts without shitting the bed. Yesterday, on the heels of last Sunday’s shutdown of the Yankees, Beckett gave the Sox their second win since his last start, giving up just three hits and one run through seven innings against the Jays.

Lowrie has been the other surprise of the young season, one of the few bats besides The Elf that we can rely on for any type of production. Filling in for Carl “I’m Not There Yet” Crawford, he went 3-for-5 including a two-run homer to bring his average to .500. Meaning that if Francona sits him anytime soon, we owe it to ourselves to form a Wedgie Party and lead a late night march to his front door.

It was the kind of win that made me feel curiously happy to be 3-10. And gave me just the dose of positivity I needed. Suddenly five games is nothing to overcome, and the trip from the cellar to the penthouse not so daunting.

We haven’t won consecutive games yet this season. Today, behind Lester and still running off yesterday’s high, seems a great place to start. Let’s roll.