The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Two days, three days, four days, it didn't matter to Josh Beckett.

Pitching with the determined demeanor of a Bob Gibson or a Sandy Koufax, the 23-year-old right-hander led the Florida Marlins to the World Series title Saturday night, snuffing out the New York Yankees 2-0 in a Game 6 win.

He didn't care how much rest he had, and that's why the Yankees have the offseason to rest and the Marlins are heading home for a big party.

Beckett, the World Series MVP, pitched a five-hitter and looked like - well, even better than - those multimillion-dollar Yankees starters who grace magazine covers and get all the attention.

Beckett even got the final out by himself. He scooped up a little grounder by catcher Jorge Posada and tagged him near first base. Beckett then pumped his fist and was lifted onto the shoulders of his teammates, thrusting his hands into the air and waving his cap.

After Beckett lost Game 3 Tuesday night, Marlins manager Jack McKeon started him on three days' rest for the first time in his major-league career, which began a scant 25 months ago.

McKeon cited Beckett's two-hit shutout in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, when the Chicago Cubs led Florida three games to one. And then there was his four innings of one-hit relief in Game 7 at Wrigley Field.

Beckett pitched fearlessly against the Yankees, trusting his fastballs and his breaking balls to anyone on any count.

New York got runners to second base just four times, and that's when Beckett was his toughest. The Yankees were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

With Posada on second and one out in the seventh, Beckett threw a 3-2 curveball to Karim Garcia for a called third strike. And then he got pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra to swing through an 0-2 fastball.

After watching his bullpen struggle, McKeon didn't take any chances, sending Beckett out for the ninth. The kid rewarded him with his second postseason shutout.

For him, it was simple. No matter how little rest you have, just throw strikes.