***JON LESTER NO-HITS ROYALS 7-0***

130 pitches, 9 strikouts, 2 walks, 11 groundouts, 7 flyouts and only 29 batters faced. Oh, and ZERO HITS allowed! Jon Lester made history Monday night at Fenway Park by pitching his first complete game and first no-hitter. The Red Sox beat the visiting KC Royals 7-0. The fans were loud, and by loud I mean LOUD, and after the ninth inning ended with a strikeout, Lester raised his arms in triumph as first Varitek and then the rest of his team mobbed him. It's only been two years since Lester's grim cancer diagnosis, and boy, has he come a long way. Terry Francona had tears in his eyes as he spoke about his releationship with the young pitcher and his performance on the mound. Here's what he had to say...

"I looked up in the ninth and you're trying to keep your emotions in check," manager Terry Francona said, "and I went to say something to John Farrell and he was being a big baby next to me. It made me feel a little bit better. This probably isn't fair to say, but I feel like my son graduated and my son threw a no-hitter," said Francona, whose son Nick had graduated from Penn earlier in the day, and who had grown close to Lester during his ordeal.

Peter here, and Tito is SUCH a great guy. By the way, last night Jason Varitek tied the record for most no-hitters caught with four, all of 'em with Boston. This was their 4th win in a row, and what a night for the fans lucky enough to be there. I was standing on my chair from the top of the 8th inning onward, and in the 9th, the pacing started, back and forth, forth and back, with increasing velocity as each out was recorded. One out, two outs, and then...then, a strikeout by Lester of Alberto Calaspo that made history. And Red Sox Nation and Red Sox International were proud, happy and loud. Lester himself said that he had never heard more joyous noise than he did last night. A beautiful noise it was!

I leave you with the entire game summary, one that will remain in the annals of Boston Red Sox history and baseball history FOREVER. And I couldn't be any happier or any prouder. Such is baseball, but this story is one of sheer courage. GREAT JOB, JON. We love you. Oh, click on the title for the Boston Globe Red Sox homepage and "read all about it." And as always, be well. Comments? Please!! Here's that game wrapup...

Scoring:
Bot 3rd: Boston
- J. Lugo grounded into double play shortstop to second to first, J.D. Drew scored, J. Varitek out at second
- M. Ramirez walked, J. Ellsbury scored, D. Pedroia to third, D. Ortiz to second
- M. Lowell safe at first on second baseman M. Grudzielanek's fielding error, D. Ortiz and D. Pedroia scored, M. Ramirez to third
- K. Youkilis ground rule double to deep right center, M. Ramirez scored, M. Lowell to third
Bot 6th: Boston
- J. Varitek homered to deep right, J.D. Drew scored

Kansas City
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
D. DeJesus cf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 .269
M. Grudzielanek 2b 3 0 0 0 0 2 0 .323
A. Callaspo 2b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .293
A. Gordon 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .280
J. Guillen dh 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 .241
B. Butler 1b 2 0 0 0 1 2 0 .276
M. Olivo c 3 0 0 0 0 2 1 .274
M. Teahen rf 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 .263
E. German lf 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 .103
T. Pena Jr. ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 .169
Totals 27 0 0 0 2 9 3

Batting
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - A Callaspo 1, M Teahen 1.
Team LOB - 2

Fielding
E - M Grudzielanek (2, pop up).
DP - 3 (A Gordon-M Grudzielanek-B Butler 2, T Pena-M Grudzielanek-B Butler).

Boston
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
J. Ellsbury cf-lf 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 .276
D. Pedroia 2b 3 1 0 0 1 0 1 .303
D. Ortiz dh 2 1 0 0 2 0 0 .247
M. Ramirez lf 3 1 0 1 1 1 1 .299
C. Crisp cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .299
M. Lowell 3b 3 0 0 0 1 0 4 .273
K. Youkilis 1b 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .327
J.D. Drew rf 3 2 1 0 0 1 2 .282
J. Varitek c 3 1 2 2 0 1 0 .290
J. Lugo ss 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .280
A. Cora ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .409
Totals 27 7 5 4 6 4 10

Batting
2B - K Youkilis (16, L Hochevar).
3B - J Ellsbury (2, L Hochevar).
HR - J Varitek (5, 6th inning off L Hochevar 1 on, 1 Out).
RBI - M Ramirez (28), K Youkilis (34), J Varitek 2 (17).
2-out RBI - M Ramirez, K Youkilis.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - J Drew 2, D Pedroia 1.
GIDP - K Youkilis, J Lugo, M Lowell.
Team LOB - 3.
Base Running
SB - D Pedroia (6, 2nd base off L Hochevar/M Olivo), J Ellsbury 2 (18, 2nd base off L Hochevar/M Olivo, 3rd base off L Hochevar/M Olivo).

Fielding
E - J Lester (1, throw).

Kansas City
IP H R ER BB K HR Season ERA
L. Hochevar (L, 3-3) 6.0 5 7 4 6 2 1 4.29
J. Peralta 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 5.79
Y. Yabuta 1.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 6.16

Boston
IP H R ER BB K HR Season ERA
J. Lester (W, 3-2) 9.0 0 0 0 2 9 0 3.41

HBP - J Drew (by L Hochevar).
Pitches-strikes - L Hochevar 114-61; J Peralta 9-6; Y Yabuta 9-6; J Lester 130-86.
Ground balls-fly balls - L Hochevar 13-3; J Peralta 0-2; Y Yabuta 1-1; J Lester 11-7.
Batters faced - L Hochevar 28; J Peralta 3; Y Yabuta 3; J Lester 29.
Game Details
Umpires: HP--Brian Knight. 1B--Marvin Hudson. 2B--Tom Hallion. 3B--Hunter Wendelstedt.
Time: 2:30.
Attendance: 37,746.
Weather: 57 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 17 mph, out to right.