LESTER FIRES A GEM

Another game, another pitching gem from a Red Sox starting pitcher. Less than 24 hrs after Dice-K Matsuzaka mowed down the Oakland A's starting pitcher Jon Lester did much the same in a 5-0 Boston victory. Lester threw three-hit shutout ball for 6.2 innings to lead the way for the victors.

Lester lost his first outing of the season against Oakland last week, but this was a much different story. The lefty did not allow a runner to reach second base after the first inning. He had a streak of 10 batters retired in a row before giving up a bloop single to Emil Brown with two outs in the seventh inning. He out-pitched Rich Harden who allowed just four hits and repeatedly escaped trouble keeping the Red Sox off the scoreboard.

However, the Red Sox and their big hitter broke through in the seveth inning. David Ortiz, hitless on the season until a fifth inning single took an Alan Embree offering over the rightfield fence to break open the scoreless duel and give the Sox a 2-0 lead. The lead grew to 4-0 in the eighth inning on RBI singles by Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis, who had five hits in the final two games of this series with Oakland. Jason Varitek homered off Huston Street in the ninth inning for the final run of the contest.

But the day belonged to Lester who got the win with shutout help from Bryan Cory and Manny Delcarmen in relief. After lasting just four innings a week ago he rebounded with the kind of performance that will have manager Terry Francona and pitching coach John Farrell hoping for more of the same. He walked three batters, but he also got two double play grounders to aid his cause. His string of 10 batters retired in a row began in the fourth inning.

The Sox are now 3-1 on the young season and now travel to Toronto for a three-game series with the Blue Jays beginning Friday evening.