Jon Lester slogged through a tough start against Kansas City today, as it took 113 pitches for him to get into the 7th, but Daniel Bard made sure he'd get win number 13, as the Sox rolled past the Royals, 6-1.
Bard came in with 2 on and 0 out in the 7th, and the score 3-1. He shut down KC, and the Sox added three in the 8th, and it was all over but the shouting.
No Jacoby Ellsbury for the second straight day (he should be back tomorrow), but his replacement Darnell McDonald went 3-for-5 with a home run. Carl Crawford went deep as well, and Jason Varitek tripled in a run (his first triple since 2007).
Lester allowed just three hits, but walked four, and left the bases loaded in the second inning.
New York's win in Minnesota keeps the Sox a half-game back. (Boy, do the Twins just wilt at the sight of the Yankees or what?)
The Sox take 3 of 4 in the House of Horrors known as Kauffman Stadium, and now they move on to four games in Texas, which is no barrel of laughs for the Sox historically either.
