G159: Red Sox 6, Spiders 1

Spiders - 000 001 000 - 1  2  1
Red Sox - 320 000 10x - 6  9  0

Lester did not allow a hit for five innings, no doubt bringing back memories of May 19 for many of the 37,726 fans at Fenway. But Josh Barfield began the sixth with a double into the left field corner and later scored on a one-out single to right by Jamey Carroll.

With the no-no gone, Lester was pulled after six innings (6-2-1-1-4, 86) and Terry Francona used three pitchers out of the pen: Justin Masterson, Hideki Okajima and Jonathan Papelbon -- each of whom pitched one inning, faced three batters, struck out one hitter, and threw 12 pitches.

The Red Sox struck early and often against Sowers. In the first, Jacoby Ellsbury singled and took third on a hit-and-run single from Jed Lowrie. Dustin Pedroia's sac fly to the track in left-center brought in Lyndon for a 1-0 lead. Sowers then walked Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay to load the bases. Jason Varitek's fly ball to center scored Lowrie and Mark Kotsay's doubled brought in Yook.

In the second, Ellsbury pulled a one-out double down the right field line and scored on Lowrie's two-bagger to left. Lowrie moved to third on Pedroia's fly to right and scored on Yook's single to left-center. The Sultan of Sweat capped the scoring with a solo home run to deep left in the seventh.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Tigers beat the Rays 7-5, keeping Boston's slim AL East hopes alive. The Blue Jays beat the Yankees 8-2.

***

Jeremy Sowers (5.48, 81 ERA+) / Jon Lester (3.26, 140 ERA+)

Tampa Bay can clinch the AL East by beating Detroit this afternoon -- or if the Red Sox lose tonight's game to Cleveland.

***

Rays/Tigers at 1

East                     Magic #
Rays       96  62   ---
Red Sox    93  65   3.0     1