Because with the tremendous run totals being generated by the Yankees, the Red Sox' offensive renaissance (and good starting pitching) has offered a way out of their recent slide, as demonstrated last night in front of 32,439 at Jacobs Field. Four first-inning runs never hurt.
"I admit, I was nervous for him," catcher Jason Varitek said of the 23-year-old taking the hill. And that was before the game. Before the fourth inning, when with the bases loaded Lester blew a third-strike, 93-mile-per-hour fastball past Sizemore, who had taken Lester deep one inning earlier.
After getting through the first two innings unscathed, Lester allowed a one-out single to center by Josh Barfield. Up walked Sizemore. After traveling 383 feet, Lester's pitch landed in the right-field seats. But that two-run home run, which narrowed the gap to 5-2, couldn't bring the Indians close enough. Lester made sure it stayed that way, getting Sizemore swinging to get out of the one-out, bases-loaded jam in the fourth.
Before Lester had emerged from the dugout for his first warm-up tosses, the Sox already had scored four runs for him.
"That first pitch, I think after that it settled down and I started to calm down a little bit," Lester said. "Offense did an unbelievable job in the first inning. That eases any pitcher's mind, getting four in the first. Just makes it a little easier to go out and throw strikes and attack hitters."
Starting with a single by Coco Crisp -- who had four hits for his third straight game with at least three hits -- the Sox plated each of their first four batters. Dustin Pedroia followed Crisp with a single, then Kevin Youkilis walked to load the bases. Former Indian Manny RamÃrez doubled home two runs, and a single from J.D. Drew and double-play ball from Mike Lowell scored two more.
