Nothing like smokin’ left-hander Jon Lester to snap the Red Sox five-game losing streak.
Last night’s 7-0 victory over the New York Yankees featured a complete-game, five-hit shutout from Lester, who was making his first-ever appearance at Yankee Stadium. The hearty effort was a stark contrast to the way the Sox limped out of St. Petersburg, Fla., a night earlier after being swept by the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. The win brought the Red Sox to within three games of the idle Rays and offered some hope that the club could mount an impressive finishing kick to a road trip that saw it lose five of the first six games. Wednesday night’s series. The Red Sox jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first, then a 4-0 advantage after the second, and it was pretty much off to the races with Yankees starter Andy Pettitte obviously well off his game. Lester made his debut at the demolition-bound Yankee Stadium an absolute gem.
Jon Lester (7-3) started out rusty and frustrated, looking in with disbelief after the second batter he faced, Derek Jeter, became the second batter he walked. A quick mound conference with Varitek allowed Lester time to redirect any issues with home plate umpire Wally Bell’s strike zone into adjustments that he could control. Three quick outs followed. He went on to face the minimum in six of the final eight innings, didn’t issue another walk and wound up with eight strikeouts.
Lester, who saw his ERA dip to 3.21, is worthy of All-Star consideration. If there was a place to point to in Lester’s outing where he proved his maturity and worthiness the most, it was the way he adjusted to adversity at the outset.
As far as the offense goes, Jeter allowed the first run to score on his throwing error while trying to turn a double play (first inning), Mike Lowell contributed an RBI single and sacrifice fly (first and fifth innings, respectively), Jacoby Ellsbury smacked an RBI double (second), julio Lugo hit a sacrifice fly (fourth) and Varitek delivered an RBI single (eighth).
