I think it may be safe to say
that Jon Lester is back. As the Red Sox
wait patiently for Clay Buchholz, their ace this year, to come back from the
DL, Lester has become the ace again.
Jon Lester isn’t just giving his
team quality starts, he’s turning in masterpieces. His latest came on Saturday afternoon in Los
Angeles as he dominated the Dodgers in a 4-2 victory.
Lester went 7 and 1/3 innings
allowing only 1 run on 3 hits while walking 4 and striking out 6. He was a bit wild with the 4 walks but was
able to get himself out of jams when he needed to. There was nothing to really worry about until
Lester came out of the game in the eighth.
With one out in the 8th,
Lester was lifted for Junichi Tazawa with a runner on first. Phenom Yasiel Puig greeted Tazawa with a
single up the middle and after Tazawa struck out Mark Ellis to get 2 outs, John
Farrell called on lefty Craig Breslow to face Adrian Gonzalez. That didn’t work out as well as Gonzalez
laced a 2-run double into the gap slimming the lead to 4-2. Hanley Ramirez then drew a walk to put the
tying run on base and go ahead run at the plate.
John Farrell had seen enough and
wasn’t taking any chances as he went to closer Koji Uehara who ended the 9th
by striking out A.J. Ellis.
Uehara, who has been dominant for
the Sox all year long, then breezed through the ninth striking out 1 and
retiring the side in order. It was his
13th save of the year.
The bats were better than on
Friday night but still not great. They
banged out 4 runs on 8 hits and were 3 for 9 with runners in scoring position. They left 6 men on base but got some clutch
hitting from Jonny Gomes who belted a 3-run homer in the first 2 start the
scoring off. He finished the day 1 for 3
with a walk and even stole his first base of the season.
Mike Napoli also had a great day
at the dish going 3 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI. Dustin Pedroia was 2 for 4 with a run
scored. Stephen Drew was 1 for 3 with a
double and a walk and Xander Bogaerts was 1 for 1 in a pitch hitting role. It was his first Major League hit. Congrats and I hope there are many more.
The Sox will go for the series
win Sunday night on ESPN. They’ll send
Jake Peavy to the mound against Chris Capuano.
Peavy should be right at home against the Dodgers as he played the
majority of his team for division rivals San Diego Padres. Hopefully he’ll be that old Peavy tonight.
SHAVING CREAM PIE TO THE FACE –
GAME MVP
Jonny Gomes. Gomes had 3 RBI on the night and his 11th
homer of the season. After not scoring
any runs the night before, Gomes’ gave the Sox a big 3 run cushion in the first
inning with his bomb.
ELBOW TO THE FACE – GAME LVP
Will Middlebrooks. He’s been hot since he came back to the bigs
but last night, he went 0 for 4 with 3 strikeouts.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Gomes’ big 1st inning
3-run homer.
NEXT
Sunday, August 25th, in Los
Angeles vs. the Dodgers.
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