Boston, MA (My Sportsbook) - Left-hander Jon Lester pitched the 18th no- hitter in Red Sox history, as Boston beat the
Kansas City Royals, 7-0.
Lester (3-2), a cancer survivor, struck out nine and issued only two walks - in the second inning to Billy Butler and in the ninth to Esteban German.
After walking German to start the ninth, Tony Pena hit a chopper to third base and was thrown out. David DeJesus then grounded out to first and Alberto Callaspo struck out swinging at a high fastball for the final out. The Red Sox mobbed Lester at the mound after he threw 130 pitches, 86 for strikes.
"It really hasn't sunk in," Lester said. "Right now, it feels like I pitched and we won the game. I think it's the World Series. It takes a while for this to set in and give you time to reflect on it. I guess it's one of those things you get to enjoy later."
The Red Sox have been responsible for the last two no-hitters in the majors. Clay Buchholz turned the trick September 1, 2007 against Baltimore, also at Fenway Park.
"Tito (Francona) and I look at one another late in the game as the pitch count gets up there and everyone is well aware of what's going on," Boston pitching coach John Farrell said. "I think you just feel such joy for the person who's going through it, whether it's Buchholz last year or Lester this year, you're part of something very special, very unique and very rare."
Lester is the first Red Sox lefty to toss a no-hitter since Mel Parnell against the White Sox on July 14, 1956.
It's been a dramatic turnaround in the last couple of years for Lester. His 2006 rookie season was cut short due to non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, but the hurler returned in July of 2007 and went 4-0 with a 4.57 earned run average in 12 games, 11 of which were starts. He was the winning pitcher in Game 4 of the World Series against Colorado, as the Red Sox completed a sweep to capture the Fall Classic for a second time in four years.
"It was tough," Lester said. "It was a long road back. When I did get back, I wanted to be at a certain level and I wasn't at that level and it took a while. It was tough mentally and tough physically to go out and pitch every five days. It was a long road. I'm just glad that I'm here at this moment right now and in five days I'll go and pitch again."
The 24-year-old, a second-round draft pick of the Red Sox in 2002, also logged his first career complete game.
This is just the second time the Royals have been no-hit. The Angels' Nolan Ryan turned the trick on May 15, 1973 in Kansas City.
Jason Varitek was 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, scoring twice and J.D. Drew was 1-for-3, scoring twice. Varitek caught his major league record fourth no- hitter.
Boston won its fourth straight coming off an interleague three-game sweep of the Brewers.
Kansas City starter Luke Hochevar (3-3) was roughed up over six innings for seven runs - four earned - on five hits and six walks . Kansas City has won six of its last eight despite the setback in the opener of the four-game set.
Boston did most of its scoring in the third, batting around in the inning. Drew and Varitek singled to start the frame and Julio Lugo grounded into a double play, plating Drew. Jacoby Ellsbury then tripled to deep left-center and Dustin Pedroia, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez drew consecutive walks to plate another run.
Hochevar seemed to be out of the inning, getting Mike Lowell to pop out to second but Mark Grudzielanek dropped the ball, scoring two with the runners moving. The error proved costly as Kevin Youkilis followed with a ground-rule double to right, driving in the fifth run of the inning.
Ellsbury saved the no-hit bid in the fourth, making a diving catch on a shallow fly ball to center off the bat of Jose Guillen to end the inning.
"After the catch, I realized he had a no-hitter going," Ellsbury said. "It was nice having that (five-run) cushion, knowing if there's anything around, you could lay out. He pitched tremendous. Obviously, just the poise, confidence and how relaxed he was going through the seventh, eighth and ninth innings."
Varitek grooved a one-out two-run homer to right in the sixth, right after Drew was hit by a pitch.
The Royals actually got a runner to second in the second inning. Butler walked with one out and Miguel Olivo was on with a fielder's choice. Olivo then took second on a throwing error from Lester, but Mark Teahen grounded out.
"This probably isn't fair to say but I feel like my son graduated today (University of Pennsylvania) and my (other) son threw a no-hitter," Boston manager Terry Francona said. It couldn't have happened to a better kid."
Game Notes
Lester's 130-pitch effort was a career high, his previous high was 116...Varitek's other no-hitters caught were April 4, 2001 by Hideo Nomo, April 27, 2002 by Derek Lowe, and the one with Buchholz...Guillen was named American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 18, going 11- for-24 (.458) at the plate with two home runs and 13 runs batted in...Guillen had his 10-game hitting streak snapped Monday...Boston holds an 11-10 edge over Kansas City in head-to-head play since the beginning of the 2005 season...Royals catcher John Buck was reinstated from the bereavement list prior to Monday's game, and catcher Matt Tupman was optioned back to Triple-A Omaha...Ellsbury stole two bases and now has 18 on the year one day after being caught for the first time in his career.
