"Before last night's game against the Angels, Red Sox manager Terry Francona was asked how he planned to navigate the late innings with a depleted bullpen.

"Lester," Francona replied. "Go get 'em, big boy."

Francona was joking, but with Daniel Bard unavailable and Bobby Jenks and Jonathan Papelbon having worked two straight games as well, the manager needed a strong start out of Jon Lester, and in one sense, the left-hander delivered.

Despite being matched up with one of the hottest starters in the game in Los Angeles right-hander Dan Haren, Lester grinded his way through six shutout innings to capture the duel of former All-Stars, allowing four hits and striking out eight.

If there was a downside to his evening, it's that he wasn't quite the big boy Francona wanted."