Brilliant

I can't think of a better adjective to describe Jon Lester last night.

He had the Texas Rangers flailing away last night, and it was by far his best game of the year, and brought back memories of his no-hitter from last year. He looked even better than that night 13 months, as Lester was incredibly efficient. He struck out 11 in getting a complete game, 8-1 win.

Lester retired the first 19 batters, as for the second time in a week a Red Sox pitcher took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. It was broken up by Michael Young's double to left. As I said during Josh Beckett's flirtation with the no-no on Tuesday: "I'll take the win. Everything else is gravy."

Mike Lowell hit a video-reviewed home run in the second, and David Ortiz connected for his second homer of the year, one that just banged off the Pesky Pole in right, probably the shortest home run of his Fenway career. But as I said to a friend of mine last night, "They're all 400-foot bombs in the boxscore."

Dustin Pedroia and Jason Bay both had two RBI to pace the offense.

It was Lester's fifth win of the year, and he dropped his ERA to 5.09. It was good to see him go all the way, and give the bullpen a night off. Both he and Josh Beckett have really picked it up after the slow starts that hammpered them early this year. And more good news on the pitching front, as John Smoltz had a terrific rehab outing for Pawtucket, going six innings and allowing just one run on one hit.

The Red Sox moved back into first place, and the Rays beat the Yankees in the Bronx. Daisuke Matsuzaka will try to get the Red Sox the series win over Texas today at Fenway.