SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Jon Lester pitched into the ninth for his first victory in four tries this month, and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox beat the San Francisco Giants 7-0 on Monday night after flying cross-country earlier in the day.
Stephen Drew and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit RBI doubles, Shane Victorino added an RBI single and Will Middlebrooks had a sacrifice fly for Boston. The Red Sox chose to travel first thing Monday rather than late Sunday night after a 9-6 loss to the Yankees at Fenway Park.
Lester (11-7) allowed six hits, struck out three and walked two in Boston’s seventh shutout. He outpitched two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (6-13) to snap a three-start winless stretch since a victory at Baltimore on July 28. Lester gave way to Brandon Workman after allowing a pair of one-out singles in the ninth.
Lincecum was done after five-plus innings and lost for the fourth time in his last five decisions. Two of his four walks were intentional free passes to Middlebrooks.
Giants pitchers had a balk, wild pitch and hit batsman in the same home game for the first time since April 10, 2010, against Atlanta.
The two clubs faced off for just their fourth series and first since Boston took two of three at AT&T Park in an injury-plagued stop. In a lengthy tribute to the Boston Marathon bombing victims before the game, players from both sides walked out of their dugouts and stood on their respective baselines in a show of solidarity and support.
Lester retired the first nine Giants in order before Andres Torres lined a single to left leading off the fourth. The Boston left-hander tossed a complete game in his lone other start against San Francisco, a five-hitter on June 27, 2010, at AT&T Park.
He nearly did it again.
Boston staked Lester to an early lead with three runs in the second — showing no signs of being weary from a 4-hour, 12-minute game Sunday night and then the travel. Will Middlebrooks hit a sacrifice fly and a balk by Lincecum forced in another run.
Torres also singled in the sixth and eighth innings to finish with three of San Francisco’s six hits and his first multihit game since June 29 at Colorado. The Giants were blanked for the 10th time.
Red Sox slugger David Ortiz went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. Dustin Pedroia hit a ninth-inning triple and scored on Saltalamacchia’s two-out double.
Boston manager John Farrell reiterated he didn’t think Ryan Dempster hit Alex Rodriguez on purpose a night earlier — and Farrell doesn’t foresee any punishment from Major League Baseball.
“I don’t expect them to do anything,” he said. “My view is that it was not intentional.”
Notes: A moment of silence and a video slideshow of still photos were held before the national anthem. The Giants wore Boston Strong patches. … Lester is 12-5 in 24 career interleague outings. … Giants CF Angel Pagan, recovering from left hamstring surgery, could join Triple-A Fresno for a rehab assignment in the next few days. … LHP Jeremy Affeldt, on the DL since July 21 with a strained left groin, is slated to throw off the mound in the coming days. … Red Sox 1B Mike Napoli missed his third straight game with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Manager John Farrell is optimistic he will play Tuesday. “He’s responding well to treatment he’s getting on his foot,” Farrell said. … Lester, Tuesday starter Jake Peavy and newly activated catcher David Ross flew out ahead of the team to the Bay Area. … The Giants dropped to 4-11 in interleague play.
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