Redsox-Blue Jays: Jon Lester Slams the Door As Red Sox Sweep Blue Jays

Caption: Jon Lester lets loose with a first-inning offering in last night’s game in Toronto. The southpaw was brilliant over seven innings, holding the Blue Jays scoreless on just one hit.

After the Red Sox signed John Lackey during the off-season, Red Sox Nation exulted in the belief that the 2010 Red Sox would have the best rotation baseball, and possibly one of the best rotations in the team's nearly 100-year-old history.

During the first two weeks of the season, things didn’t quite unfold that way.

The rotation wilted in the face of lineups such as the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, and New York Yankees. And when the starters did pitch well, it seemed the bullpen was unable to hold the opposition in check.

But over the last 10 days, the rotation has found its legs, likely due in part to the fact they faced the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. Regardless, the starters needed to have some success and build some confidence, and they have managed to do just that.

Well, that is to say everyone except ace Josh Beckett, who continues to struggle.

Starting with Clay Buchholz’ outing last Thursday against the Rangers, each of the Red Sox starters not named Beckett have provided the club with a quality start. In their last 41 innings pitched, the other four members of the rotation have allowed a total of just nine earned runs.

Piggy-backing Buchholz’ most recent outing Tuesday night, southpaw Jon Lester did him one better—shutting out the Blue Jays over seven innings in the Red Sox 2-0 win Wednesday at the Rogers Centre. Lester allowed just one hit—a second-inning double to Vernon Wells—issued just two walks, and struck out 11.

With the victory, the Sox have now won seven of their last nine games, as they head to Baltimore for a weekend series. In the process, they have climbed back to the .500 mark (11-11) for the first time since the second game of the season.

After the game, Lester brimmed with confidence.

“This was a great series for us. Once we get on a bit of a roll it’s hard to stop us," he said. "If we keep putting games together like that, pitching and hitting when we need to, things will take care of themselves.”

Well, OK, he's a master of stating the obvious, but the same can be said of any team in the big leagues. But we get the point.

Reliever Daniel Bard allowed one hit in the game, but went on to strike out the side in the eighth inning, while Jonathan Papelbon worked a perfect ninth inning for his seventh save.

Lester (1-2) came into Wednesday night's contest winless in four starts, and sporting a 6.23 ERA, but he pitched very well in a no-decision against the Orioles last Friday night (5.2 IP, 0 ER).

After Wells’ leadoff double in the second inning, he retired 14 consecutive batters.

“That’s the best I’ve seen him," Toronto's Aaron Hill said. " He’s always had good stuff and a good arm, but he had everything in any count (Wednesday night).”

“He pitched really well. He ought to feel good about himself. He looks great,” noted Sox manager Terry Francona.

The same can be said for Buchholz, while John Lackey can hopefully build on his outing on Saturday (7 IP, 3 ER), and provide the ballclub with a third-straight outstanding effort.

Back to the game on Wednesday in Toronto, the Red Sox broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning when center fielder Darnell McDonald led off with a double, went to third on Marco Scutaro’s single, and scored on Dustin Pedroia’s sacrifice fly.

In the seventh, they added to the lead when Adrian Beltre laced a ground-rule double into right field, and McDonald grounded a two-out single through the left side.

Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil (1-1) took the loss after allowing one run and five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out three.

Notes: Red Sox outfielder Mike Cameron, out since April 18 with an abdominal strain, is expected to resume running this weekend.