A Lesson In Pitching: Peter

Jenn, tonight was a real lesson in pitching by Lester. I know, I've repeated it so many times that you probably hear it in your sleep, but the true measure of a pitcher is how does he do when he really, really has to PITCH? Anyone can throw the ball 60 feet, six inches when there's no pressure on, but all of a sudden, when you've got men on base, few if any outs and the opposing team's in rally mode; or you've already dug yourself an early hole of three or four runs and are trying to stop the blood so your team might have a realistic chance to get back in, that's what separates the real pitchers from the throwers. Tonight was Lester's turn to show he can pitch when it really counts!

In the first two innings, he allowed five runs! Not what you'd call a real good start to the evening. In the process, he gave up five hits, a hit batsman and a walk and only got a pair of K's. This clearly isn't the Lester we're accustomed to seeing, and it was starting to look, God forbid, like a repeat of his outing two turns ago against Toronto. Oyyyy!
Then came the 3d, followed by the 4th and Lester had three up and down in each inning, getting three more K's in the process.But it's still 5-2, O's. However, in the very next turn at bat JD got the Hose a run closer by sticking one deep into the center field bleachers, 5-3.
Lester back on the hill in the 5th and it's a repeat of innings three & four--three up and down, including another pair of strikeouts. In the 6th, Lester struggles again, but once again showing just how good a pitcher he really is, he gets the O's without allowing any more damage even though he had loaded the bases with Birds. Picked up another pair of K's in the process, bookending them around the Bird's threat.
From that point on, taking Lester's guts as a guide, the Sox hitters took control of the game, picking up six runs in the top of the 7th and rewarding Lester with his 15th W of the year. McDonald led off with a hit, and then, with one out, Scut worked the count full and then deposited the ball in the cheaps in left for the two runs that tied the game. But the Hose were far from finished. JD walked, after which Martinez greeted the new O's hurler with an RBI double, 7-5, Sox. But not through yet! Papi came to the plate. Not wanting to see him in a slow trot around the bags, Showalter ordered him walked--to get to Beltre. So much for strategy! Beltre took one strike and then gave Papi the opportunity to take a nice slow trot around the sacks anyway--in front of Beltre, who was doing the same thing--drive deep to the left field seats; 9-5, Sox.
From there, it was pretty much textbook Sox, marred only by a two out run on a sacfly off of Bard to put the score where it was when things ended. Papelbon finished off things in the 9th, a quick 1,2,3 inning made up of a K and a pair of harmless ground balls. Once again, The Laser is looking like The Laser of a couple of years ago.
Standings: well, we're still eight out of first, seven behind the Rays for the card, but, once again, the Hose refuse to die. I know, Jenn, last night I said that it was looking all but over for them, but, hey, you never know. If they can continue to hold things together a game at a time like this, who knows? Do it, SOX!