Another Lester Gem: Peter

Jenn: If you haven't seen it yet, you've really got a treat on the Tivo tonight! Actually, given the geography, I know you probably haven't seen it yet. But Lester was just awesome today! In seven innings, he got another eight K's, had a game WHIP of 0.71, and allowed only a pair of weak singles, the earliest coming in the 6th inning. He was bidding to become only the third Sox hurler to have two no-no's in his career. The first was some guy named Cy--yes, that one, and the other was someone I've seriously never heard of, but a contemporary of Cy and the Babe when the Babe was one of the best pitchers in the league for the Sox. Lester also became the first lefthanded Sox hurler in 57 years to win 19 games, the last being Mel Parnell, who did it twice. Three of the others in the small number (6) of Sox pitchers doing that include the aforementioned Babe, Dutch Leonard and Lefty Grove. He also lowered his ERA to a sub-3.00 level, joining teammate Bucky in that rarefied sphere.
As for the rest of the game, the Sox, behind Lester, built a six zip lead, including Papi's 97th and 98th RBI's, homers by JD (his 20th) and Victor (19th). That means the team now has three hitters with at least 20, and two others within reach. After coming out, Bard gave up a pair of runs only one of them earned, on an error by Beltre and another homer by the Grandyman. However, Bard quickly ended any ideas the Hankiemen may have had about rallies, striking out Berkman and Swisher and getting Texeira on a liner to end the inning. The Sox added an insurance run on successive doubles in the 9th, and then Oki came on to close out the game, allowing only a meaningless solo shot by A-Rod for the final score.
Five and a half from the card with eight to play--tight, but not impossible.