Snakes on the bench by Jared Carrabis
Lester improves to 8-0 since April 18


Leave it to Jon Lester to pick Boston out of the dumps after the Lakers stomped out the Celtics in Game 6.

Having not lost a series since the May 14-16 series in Detroit, the Red Sox looked to clinch a series victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway Park.

In a sense, Lester is so good that we, as fans, have been programmed to have a sense of shock when the left-hander allows more than one run. In his outing on Wednesday night, the mighty Lester allowed two runs, but to a very worthy foe.

Ahead in the top of the second after a two-run home run off the bat of Dustin Pedroia in the bottom of the first, his ninth, Lester allowed a leadoff double to Chris Young. Two batters later, the brother of Rays outfielder BJ Upton, Justin Upton hit an absolute bomb that sailed over the Green Monster and onto the parking garage on Lansdowne Street.

As Upton touched 'em all, the Arizona outfielder had himself his eleventh homer of the season, while tying the game at two.

In the bottom of the next frame, Pedroia was back at it, rocketing a base hit to lead off the third. Later in the inning with two outs, JD Drew knocked his 17th double of the season out to center to bring Pedroia around to score.

Adrian Beltre followed Drew's double with an RBI hit of his own, legging out an infield hit to drive in David Ortiz, who walked earlier in the inning.

Lester and Diamondback's starter Rodrigo Lopez settled in, putting up a string of zeros leading into the bottom of the seventh. Lopez appeared to be on his way to a perfect seventh, until Ortiz shot a base hit through the shift and into right field.

Batting behind Ortiz, Kevin Youkilis crushed a two-run blast that also cleared everything in left to give Boston a 6-2 advantage.

With Daniel Bard coming out for the eighth, Lester's night was done. The left-hander tossed seven innings, giving up just the two runs on four hits. Lester whiffed seven batters, but was a little wild, walking three and hitting two batters. Entering his start on Wednesday, Lester had only hit two batters in his previous nine starts.

In relief of Lester, Bard pitched a scoreless eighth, striking out a batter to move into third place in punch outs among American League relievers with 36 in 34.2 innings.

Ramon Ramirez was summoned in the ninth in a non-save situation with the Red Sox having a four-run lead. Ramirez allowed a walk and a base hit, while recording two outs, before Terry Francona made the call to bring in Jonathan Papelbon.

As the rule states, it becomes a save situation if when the potential tying run is either on base, at the plate or on deck, as was the situation when Papelbon entered the game. Papelbon got Kelly Johnson to fly out on four pitches, as the Red Sox clinched yet another series win.

Final score: Diamondbacks 2, Red Sox 6
WP: Jon Lester (8-3)
LP: Rodrigo Lopez (2-6)
SV: Jonathan Papelbon (15)

Game notes: With a win against the D-Backs, Lester improved to 8-0 in his last 11 starts, or since April 18, whichever you prefer. Since his last loss, which came on April 18 against the Rays, Lester has pitched his way to an ERA of 2.01. Opponents are hitting just .177 against Lester over his last 11 starts.

-Jared Carrabis

To order Jared's debut book, One Fan's Story: If This Hat Could Talk, click HERE!





Published on June 16, 2010

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