G123: Blue Jays 16, Red Sox 2

Blue Jays - 513 023 110 - 16 20  0
Red Sox   - 000 000 200 -  2  9  1

Lester had the worst start of his career: 2-8-9-3-1, 51.

The six outs were a career low -- Lester's shortest starts before tonight were 2.1 innings on August 23, 2008 against Toronto (allowing 7 runs in an 11-0 loss) and September 25, 2009 against the Yankees.

The nine runs allowed were also a career high. Lester allowed eight runs to Tampa Bay in 4.1 innings on May 9, 2009 and he has given up seven runs three times, mostly recently, on April 18 of this year, again to the Rays.

The 51 pitches were also the fewest Lester has ever thrown in a start. His previous low was 76 on June 28, 2008, in five innings against the Astros. He threw 78 pitches in both of the 2.1 IP games linked above.

The 16 runs were the most the Blue Jays had ever scored against the Red Sox. They had scored 15 runs three times (September 27, 1988 (15-9), July 1, 2005 (15-2), and August 17, 2008 (15-4). It was also the Jays' widest margin of victory over Boston.

Lyle Overbay hit two three-run home runs against Lester and finished with four hits and a career-high seven RBI. He had 6 RBI (and two dongs) for the Brewers on July 23, 2005 against the Reds.

[I can post all that stuff within minutes because of Baseball Reference. The Play Index subscription $36/year is a ridiculous bargain. This is not an ad. I simply love B-Ref!]

Yamaico Navarro (#56) made his major league debut for the Red Sox in the fifth, pinch-hitting for Marco Scutaro. Navarro lined the first pitch down the left field line for a single. He took over at shortstop and went 1-for-3.

Did the Red Sox do anything else worth mentioning? Well, Dusty Brown had a double and two RBI, Marco Scutaro and Darnell McDonald each had two hits, Jed Lowrie singled, walked, and scored, and Daniel Nava made another great catch in left field.

The Mariners beat the Yankees 6-0. The A's beat the Rays 5-4.

Brett Cecil / Jon Lester

Scutaro, SS
Lowrie, 2B
Martinez, C
Ortiz, DH
Beltre, 3B
Lowell, 1B
Drew, RF
Hall, LF
McDonald, CF

Update: After playing in two games, Dustin Pedroia has been placed back on the disabled list. Short Q&A with FY here.

Dustin Pedroia's left foot is still sore. The Globe's Nick Cafardo writes that the team "may be suggesting more rest for the second baseman which could include more time on the disabled list or simply more time between appearances."

Lester has not allowed a run in his last two starts, covering 14.1 innings. In his two starts against Toronto this season -- April 28 and July 9 -- Lester has given up two runs in 13 innings, with 17 strikeouts.

J.D. Drew has reached base in 25 of his last 27 games, despite a batting average of only .211 (19-for-90); his OBP is .336 in that span. ... Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia went 1-for-15 after his memorable debut and was sent back to AAA on Wednesday.

AL East:

Mariners/Yankees, 7 PM
Rays/A's, 10 PM

August 20:

1903 - The Pirates set an NL record by making six errors in the first inning of a 13-7 loss to the Giants. The MLB record is seven errors, committed by Cleveland in the eighth inning against Chicago on September 20, 1905.

1919 - Joe Wilhoit, an outfielder for the Wichita Jobbers (Western League), goes hitless for the first time since June 13, ending his 69-game hitting streak. Wilhoit batted .515 (153-for-297) during the streak and finished the season with a .422 average.

1974 - Nolan Ryan strikes out 19 Tigers, but the Angels lose 1-0 in 11 innings. It is the third time Ryan has struck out 19 batters this season; the other two times were against the Red Sox, on June 14 (in 13 innings) and August 12.

2000 - Seattle's 12-4 loss to Cleveland is the seventh consecutive game in which the Mariners have allowed at least nine runs. That ties a 99-year-old record set by the New York Giants on September 3-6, 1901.