Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Lester and Coco Carry the Night

Jon Lester pitched seven solid innings and Coco Crisp belted a two-run shot and stole two bases as the Red Sox shutout the hot-hitting Phillies, 3-0, at Citizens Bank Park last night.

Lester was rarely in any kind of trouble last night. And the two times the Phillies had a serious threat going, Lester got double plays to get himself out of it. He won his sixth game against three losses. A very good sign for Lester is that in his last three starts he has walked just two batters (and one last night). Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon (who struck out the side) shut the Phillies down in the final two innings.

The Red Sox also tied a team record stealing six bases in a game. Even Sean Casey got into the act, stealing his base in nearly a year. Crisp continued his power surge by hitting his third home run in four games, to give the Red Sox a lead they would hold the entire rest of the way.

The series ends this afternoon in Philadelphia, as Justin Masterson, who will be in the Red Sox rotation for a while with Bartolo Colon going on the DL yesterday, takes the mound.

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