Chicago 7 Boston 3...Lester Off

It was a 3-3 game until the Chicago White Sox scored four runs in the sixth to go ahead for good. Jon Lester was trying to notch his eighth victory but Monday he just did't have "it." Lester was able to go 5 2/3 innings while trying to find his magic touch. It was the second loss in a row for the first place (almost) Red Sox. I was just getting used to winning three out of every five games so this one hurt. Here's Jon...

"It was one of those nights where I just battled myself. I couldn't get in a rhythm. When I actually did throw it over the plate, the ball was up. I just think it was one of those deals where I got a little ahead of myself working east to west instead of north to south."

Right to left instead of up to down means his mechanics were off big time. Usually when Jon Lester pitches, I just sit back and watch his mastery of the plate. He didn't have it Monday. The only one of his pitches that worked was his cutter, which Tito Francona said he's relying on too much. Here's the skipper...

“He’s gotten in a little bit of a mode where his cutter is so good he’s throwing a lot of them. We’ve got to get him back to establishing fastball, changeup, breaking ball, and using that cutter to put people away. It’s just getting to a point where it’s a little bit more and more. It is a great pitch, but he’s throwing a lot of them. Go back to the drawing board a little bit.”

I think Tito is right on target and I'm sure Lester would have used a more varied array of pitches had any of them but the cutter worked. I'll think Jon will figure it out and go on one of his June-July-August-September streaks. I certainly hope so. I want to include the pitching match ups for tonight's contest...

Tue. 31 CWS 7:10 PM ET** WCIU/NESN** A. Aceves (2-0) vs. P. Humber (3-3)

That's it for this Tuesday that seems like a Monday. Back to the grind for most. Please click on this post's title for more Sox stuff and as always, BE WELL.