The name “Jon Lester” has become synonymous with excellence. I don’t really know what else to say. What else can you say when you’ve got a pitcher who goes from World Series Game 4 to no-hitter to stifling the competition start after start after start? If Lester was looking for a dominating performance to erase the memory of his loss, he got it. No question about it. Three runs on seven hits over about seven innings pitched with a walk and six strikeouts. He improves to 11-4 on the season. At this point I’d say it’s just scary how good he’s become in such a short time. Ever since the no-hitter he’s taken himself to a whole new level. But what’s even more impressive is that he continues to sustain that level.
Mike Timlin relieved him in the eighth and allowed his usual runs; two this time. And that was it for the Rangers, who lost, 4-8. Lopez and Masterson took care of the rest. As for the offense, it was on. Two RBIs each for Youk, Lowrie, and Bay, and one for Casey. This is why I don’t mind so much that Lowell is on the fifteen-day DL. He was playing through some pain, and he was slumping. So this will also be a kind of mental break for Lowell, and hopefully he’ll come back refreshed and ready to hit ’em out. It kind of reminds me of around this time last season, when Manny had that oblique problem and luckily took his time on the DL, because when he came back he was firing on all cylinders. Besides, Youk at third and Casey at first is a world-class substitution defensively speaking for the usual third and first combination.
And speaking of Youk, he’s batting clean-up very nicely these days. Yesterday he went three for four. Bay has hit safely in all but one of his games in a Red Sox uniform, yesterday going two for three with a steal, and Lowrie and Pedroia continue to be on fire. A funny thing: Tek was caught stealing. I wasn’t even aware that that would be a consideration for him. Additionally his batting average just keeps dropping. He has to do something. He’s an integral part of this team, but he needs to give us something offensively, especially now.
Last night’s game was error-free, folks. I hope Lowrie stays in the lineup for the rest of the season, and I don’t care who knows it. (Ahem, Lugo, ahem.)
And in the usual drama that surrounds Manny Ramirez, rather than cut his hair he’s actually woven colored threads into them. Joe Torre is apparently a little wary of a trim now, because he wouldn’t want a haircut to affect is offensive performance. I’ll state this for Joe Torre’s benefit: Manny is not Samson. If he cuts his hair, he’ll live.
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