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Lester, SaraSox
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BY BRIAN NEWBERRY CORRESPONDENT
SARASOTA -- Jon Lester was determined to keep his team in the thick of a pennant
race Monday night.
The left-hander shut down the Tampa Yankees for seven innings in the SaraSox's
6-1 victory at Ed Smith Stadium. The win moved Sarasota (69-56, 32-24) to within
a half game of the Florida State League West Division lead. The Yankees (69-55,
32-23) currently occupy first place for the second half of the FSL season.
Sarasota has four games remaining with Tampa and leads the season series 7-5.
Tampa will be at Ed Smith for single games Friday and Saturday.
Lester allowed a single run in the second and struck out eight in his
seven-inning stint. Tampa managed just two hits over his final five innings of
work and totaled just four hits on the night. Brian Marshall relieved Lester,
20, and surrendered just one hit over the final two innings.
"Jon Lester set the tone," Sarasota manager Todd Claus said. "He
gave us a very professional, focused outing. Once we gave him a little cushion,
he cruised after that. His preparation and focus during the game was
outstanding."
The Red Sox have a chance to tie or take the division lead tonight against the
Clearwater Phillies. Sarasota will host a doubleheader with the Phillies at 5
p.m. Jon Papelbon and Justin Sturge will start on the mound for the Red Sox.
Papelbon (12-5) entered play Monday tied for the FSL lead in strikeouts with
143.
"Any time you are in it down the stretch that is where you want to
be," Claus said. "You would like to have a lead this time of year, but
we are in it to win it."
Chad Spann gave Sarasota the lead for good with a two-run homer to left field in
the fourth. David Murphy scored ahead of Spann on the blast after reaching base
on a single. Jay Sitzman drove in Sarasota's first run on a single in the
second. Murphy scored from second base on the play to even the game at 1-1.
The Red Sox picked up three more runs in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-1.
Chris Durbin doubled in Iggy Suarez to open things up. Brandon Moss, Murphy,
Spann and Sitzman each recorded two hits.
Last modified: August
24. 2004 8:36AM
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