Lester On Complete Game 'That Was My Game'
BOSTON (CBS) - It was a frustrating start to the season, but Jon Lester put together an ace-like performance for the Boston Red Sox on Monday night.
It also helped that his team finally gave him some run support as well.
Lester went the distance for Boston in their 6-1 win over the Mariners, allowing just one run over nine innings of work off eight hits, to improve to 2-3 and lowering his ERA to 3.71 on the season.
"That, for me, was my game," Lester said afterwards. "Bobby (Valentine) was going to have to fight me for the ball if he came down the end of the dugout [before the ninth inning]."
"Just for you younger reporters out there, that's called a complete game; when the starter starts it and then he finishes it," Valentine joked after the game. "He went out, and it looked like he had a mission to accomplish and he accomplished it. He was throwing all of pitches early in the game, throwing them all for strikes. He had a very confident look about himself."
Lester retired the first 12 batters of the game, before Ichiro Suzuki broke up the streak with an infield single. In all, Lester threw five 1-2-3 innings, striking out six batters along the way.
He said his Monday night success came from being aggressive on the hill.
"I think just attacking hitters more. Shop did a great job really establishing both sides of the plate for me," Lester said of catcher Kelly Shoppach, who also helped on the offensive end with his first homer of the season.
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When it was over, Lester recorded his eighth career complete game, and first nine-inning complete game since June 2010.
For Lester, it was nice to go the distance, but just getting a win for the team -- their fourth straight -- was a nice change of pace after a bumpy start to the season.
"A win is a win. Regardless if you go five innings or you go nine. Obviously you want to go nine; every time you go out there that's your goal... you fee like all that work you put in that week is for a reason," said Lester, who did not issue a walk for the first time since 2010. "With that being said, a win is a win regardless of how you look at it. That's our ultimate job; to give up less runs than the other guy and hopefully we score more and are on the better side."
Monday night was Lester's fourth start of the season where he gave up one run or less. In his last four starts, the Sox lefty has a 1.67 ERA, surrendering just five earned runs over 27 innings pitched.
