ACE EFFORT

The Red Sox needed an ace effort from a starting pitcher and they got one. Jon Lester cruised through seven innings of four-hit shutout baseball leading Boston to a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. That makes it four in a row for the Sox who are now back at .500 and await the annual Patriots Day game tomorrow morning.

WHAT WE LIKED:

* Lester was incredible in his seven inning effort. He struck out nine batters and looked much more agressive in his approach. Of the 26 batters he faced only four were able to get the ball into the air. Lester did not allow an extra-base hit.

*Mike Lowell continues to drive in runs. Lowell got the Sox on the board first with a two-out rbi single that fell in-between three Orioles driving in Kevin Youkilis. It was rbi no.11 for Lowell.

* Ramon Ramirez is simply going to be a horse for this team in several roles in the pen. Today he set up Takashi Saito for the save with a 1-2-3 eight inning. Ramirez got three ground balls. He hasn't allowed a run in 8.1 innings pitched.

WHAT WE DIDN'T LIKE:

* Saito made it interesting in the ninth by allowing the first two batters to reach base on hits. One batter scored on a groundout, but he steadied himself to retire the last two batters to earn his first save as a Red Sox. No more high wire acts Mr. Saito.

* "I'll take 'Washed Up Major Leaguers' Alex".

"This current light hitting clean-up hitter was once considered 'The Greatest Clutch Hitter in Red Sox History'."

DING! "Who is David Ortiz!"