The MLB season is at about the quarter mark for most teams and one that has improved greatly from last year is the Boston Red Sox as well as pitcher Jon Lester, who is now 6-0 and has the inside track for the Cy Young award after a 9-2 win over Tampa that saw David Price leave with an injury that now has him on the DL.
A number of pitchers are right there for it, including Felix Hernandez of the Mariners and CC Sabathia of the Yankees, but right now its Lester's to lose. Lester pitched seven innings and allowed two runs while Boston's bats exploded for eight runs in the third.
Lester improved to 6-0 this season after the Red Sox thumped Tampa Bay 9-2 on Wednesday, while Rays' Cy Young winner David Price left the game with a triceps issue in the third inning. Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said Price would be evaluated on Thursday and would likely miss his next start. Today he was placed on the DL. Stephen Drew blasted a grand slam in Boston's big third inning.
"Just felt a little tightness in my triceps on a couple of fastballs," Price told reporters after being charged with the loss after giving up four runs in 2 1/3 innings.
On Wednesday, the Seattle Mariners routed the New York Yankees 12-2, with Japan's Hisashi Iwakuma getting the win after working through seven innings to move to 5-1 on the season. Raul Ibanez smashed a pair of home runs for the Mariners, including a grand slam in the first inning, and Kyle Seager added a three-run blast.
In the National League, the St Louis Cardinals had a 4-2 win over the New York Mets, their sixth victory in seven games.
St. Louis (26-13) broke a 2-2 tie when Daniel Descalso scored on a wild pitch in the seventh, and Yadier Molina added an RBI single in the eighth.
The Cardinals' division rivals Cincinnati (24-16) kept pace with a 4-0 shutout of Miami.
South Korean Choo Shin-soo hit a pair of home runs and finished 4-for-5 while starter Mike Leake combined with three relievers to keep the Marlins scoreless.
(Reuters quotes)
