Red Sox Edge White Sox To Reach .500 (10-10)

Lester spun a gem last night

This was quite a game, as Red Sox fans and White Sox fans got to see some pretty good pitching on both sides in this one. However, it didn't always look like that. In the very first inning, Jon Lester experienced a rough patch-- throwing around 30 pitches while walking Adam Dunn and allowing a double to Paul Konerko. Alex Rios would harmlessly fly out to end the inning and get Lester out of a jam. The Red Sox finally got going in the fourth inning, when Ryan Sweeney doubled on a blooper into right to lead off the inning. Dustin Pedroia appeared to have driven him in, but Brent Morel made a nice snag at third base to keep Sweeney at second. However, his efforts were for naught as Adrian Gonzalez drove a high fastball right back up the middle for an RBI single to give the Red Sox a 1-0 lead. The score stayed taught right there, and was still at 1-0 when Jon Lester got into a jam in the seventh. The White Sox had put runners at first and third with two outs, but he survived.

Aceves pitched a shut
down ninth inning

Lester would be taken out after that inning, as he really pitched well last night: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K in his first win of the young season. Franklin Morales came in to pitch and recorded two outs to go with a single to Alexei Ramirez. After striking out Adam Dunn, he was lifted in favor of the righty Vicente Padilla to face Paul Konerko. Padilla would walk Konerko, getting the Sox into a little men on first and second, two out jam. However, once again, Alex Rios was the rally killer as Rios would ground out to second base to end the threat. Alfredo Aceves-- the closer-- came on to pitch the ninth, a role he has been anything but sound in, entering play with an ERA over 14.00. However, all of his pitches showed great life as he even reached 98 mph a couple of times with his fastball. He would force Dayan Viciedo and Kosuke Fukudome to harmlessly ground out before A.J. Pierzynski (.333/4/17) stepped up to the plate and promptly struck him out to pick up the save.


Bright Spots:
Jon Lester- 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 7 K, W (1-2)
Alfredo Aceves- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, SV (5)
Ryan Sweeney- 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B
Adrian Gonzalez- 1-4, 1 RBI
Marlon Byrd- 1-2, 1 BB

Dull Spots:
Mike Aviles- 0-4, 1 K, 2 LOB
Dustin Pedroia- 0-4, 1 K, 2 LOB
Kevin Youkilis- 0-3, 1 LOB
Jarrod Saltalamacchia- 0-3, 2 K
Cody Ross- 0-3

Player of the Game:
Jon Lester- Lester held this game together when the offense wasn't working by tossing seven shutout innings and earning the win-- he is now 1-2/4.65/23 on the season.