He thought it would be kind of cool to top Jon Lester by throwing a perfect game or maybe the second no-hitter in as many nights. In the end, though, Justin Masterson was more than content to walk away with his first major league victory in his second try last night at Fenway Park. The Red Sox’ 2-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals featured a strong spot start 6 1/3 innings, three hits, one run from the affable 23-year-old, in line as the next young ace after Lester and Clay Buchholz. A tense bases-loaded standoff created by Hideki Okajima in the eighth inning was stared down by Jonathan Paplebon (four outs, 13th save), allowing the rookie Masterson to take center stage.
The Royals threw the underrated Gil Meche at the Red Sox lineup and outside of two runs in the second inning, he was nearly unhittable. Julio Lugo’s sacrifice fly to right field drove in the first run, before Coco Crisp doubled in the second run. The Red Sox managed just one more hit and one walk the rest of the evening
Sox Notes: Justin Masterson’s stint with the big club was brief, he was demoted to the minors, Triple-A Pawtucket, not back to Double-A Portland after the game to make room for tonight’s starter Bartolo Colon.
