Jon Lester Prevails: Red Sox Escape With 1-0 Win

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

Many people seem to remember a very fine connection between Jon Lester and the Kansas City Royals.  Last year, baseball fans across the nation saw Lester twirl a no-hitter against the Royals.  It was a very special night in Red Sox Nation, and it will live in the hearts of Red Sox fans now and for a very long time.

Tonight, the Fenway Faithful were provided with another glimpse of a great pitching peformance.  In what turned out to be a rather quick game (two and a half hours), the fans at Fenway Park saw a phenomenal pitching duel, and a final score of 1-0 in favor of the Red Sox.  

Boston was able to squeeze out the victory thanks in large part to another fantastic pitching performance from the young lefty Jon Lester.  In eight stellar innings, Lester only allowed four hits and struck out eight.  With the win, he improved his record to 8-6, and improved to 4-1 in his last seven starts with an era of 1.49.

Opposing Lester was pitcher Brian Bannister, who matched Lester pitch for pitch throughout most of the contest.  It wasn't until the 8th inning, however, that we saw Bannister finally feel the pressure.  In the bottom of the 8th inning, Terry Francona decided to play the ol' run manufacturing game. 

After Mark Kotsay singled to lead off the inning and be replaced by pinch-runner Aaron Bates, Nick Green laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Bates to 2nd. 

After a wild pitch that advanced Green to 3rd, 2009 MVP Dustin Pedroia showed another reason why he recieved the award by shooting a bullet off the Green Monster for a go-ahead RBI double.

Jonathon Papelbon then came on in the 9th and retired the side in order, collecting his 23rd save in 25 chances.

The Red Sox almost broke the scoreless tie earlier in the game in the 5th inning.  With Jacoby Ellsbury on 3rd,  Mark Kotsay was caught in a pickle.  Ellsbury, though, saw his chance and tried to use his blazing speed to his advantage once again, but was tagged out at home plate on a close call. 

Immediately he was irate, slamming his helmet to the ground and was then tossed from the game by the umpire.

Both Lester and Bannister pitched magnificently, but unfortunately for Bannister, he twitched first and got the short-end of the stick.  "Regardless of what the other guy is doing, you've got to bear down and make pitches," Lester said. "With our guys, the way it usually works is, the longer you're able to pitch, the better chance you have to win."  

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