News » The left-hander struck out nine and walked none

CHICAGO - David Ross said a 5-year-old could have caught Jon Lester on Thursday night. That big hit in the ninth? Well, that was a nice swing by the veteran catcher. Lester pitched eight sharp innings and Ross had a tiebreaking RBI double, leading the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night. Lester (2-2) allowed one run and seven hits for his second straight win after opening the season with two losses. The left-hander struck out nine and walked none, winning an impressive pitchers duel with White Sox ace Chris Sale. Lester retired his first 16 batters before Tyler Flowers singled in the sixth. Xander Bogaerts homered with two out in the sixth for Bostons only hit off Sale. "(Lester) was very good. Threw pitches for strikes, was down in the strike zone. He established an outstanding rhythm right from the start," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "As well as Sale was pitching it needed everything that John gave us tonight." The game was tied at 1 when Mike Napoli and pinch-hitter Mike Carp had consecutive one-out singles in the ninth for the Red Sox. Ross then had a double to right against Ronald Belisario (1-2), driving home Napoli. Jonathan Herrera added an RBI single against Scott Downs as the Red Sox captured the last two of their three-game set in Chicago. "Obviously when youve got a guy going like Sale on the other side and hes throwing the ball as well as he did tonight, its good to grind out those innings and get some runs on the board late for us," Lester said. Koji Uehara picked up his third save in three tries with a scoreless ninth, getting pinch-hitter Jose Abreu to ground to third to end the game. Sale struck out 10 and threw a career-high 127 pitches in seven innings. The left-hander was trying to become the first White Sox pitcher to start 4-0 since Jose Contreras in 2006. "Going out there any giving everything you got," Sale said about the number of pitches. "A team rolls in there like this you cant have any consternation with that, you cant shy away from that." Sale and Lester provided a big lift for the tired bullpens on each team. The Red Sox used seven pitchers in a 6-4, 14-inning win on Wednesday, while the White Sox used nine, including infielder Leury Garcia for one inning. The White Sox had a chance to grab the lead in the seventh but Adam Dunn was thrown out at the plate when he tried to score from first on Alejandro De Azas two-out double into the right-field corner. "Youve got to take a chance like that especially the way Lesters pitching," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. Sale got some help from centre fielder Adam Eaton in the first inning. With two out, David Ortiz drove a 2-2 pitch to deep left-centre field, but Eaton jumped and took a home run away by making a one-handed grab. That was the closest either team came to scoring until Bogaerts connected for his first home run of the season, driving a 1-0 pitch deep to left. The White Sox responded in the bottom half. Flowers got on for Chicagos first baserunner and Garcia followed with a ground-rule double to right. Eaton then reached on an infield single, tying it at 1. "If youre a baseball fan that was a really good game tonight," Ross said. "Two big lefties - probably two of the best ones in the game going at it - and we came out ahead." Alexei Ramirezs two-out single in the ninth extended his season-opening hitting streak to 16 games, setting a Chicago record. NOTES: Napoli was back in the lineup after missing Wednesdays game with a dislocated left ring finger. ... Abreu, who was 1 for his last 21 entering the game, was replaced in the lineup by Paul Konerko. ... Red Sox OF Shane Victorino is set to begin a three-game rehab assignment Saturday at Triple-A Pawtucket and could join Boston for his season debut later next week. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list March 31 with a hamstring strain. ... Chicago purchased the contract of RHP Zach Putnam and designated LHP Donnie Veal for assignment. ... RHP John Lackey (2-1, 3.86 ERA) will start for the Red Sox on Friday in Boston against Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman (1-1, 0.84 ERA). ... RHP Felipe Paulino (0-1, 7.98 ERA) will pitch Friday for the White Sox in Texas against LHP Martin Perez (2-0, 2.70 ERA). Kyler Murray Cardinals Jersey . So far, so good: Gonzalez has allowed one run through 12 innings this season. His second start came Tuesday night, when he gave up only three singles over six innings to lead the Nationals to a 5-0 victory over the Miami Marlins. Kurt Warner Jersey . Henderson (20-3) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49-46, and the other judge scored it 48-47 for Thomson (20-6). The announcement drew boos from the United Center crowd. "Train this hard for this long, its such a long camp and I see my title shot disappear," said Thomson, who fought most of the fight with a broken right hand. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/byron-murphy-cardinals-jersey-en/ . That further limits the options of Australia coach Ewen McKenzie, who on Monday suspended six players who were involved in a night out in Dublin ahead of the Saturdays 32-15 win over the Irish. The Wallabies play Scotland on Saturday before facing Wales on Nov. Hakeem Butler Cardinals Jersey .Derrick Rose scored 23 points, and the Bulls pulled away from the Nets for a 105-80 victory on Wednesday night. Chicago held Brooklyn to 29 points on 26. Kyler Murray Jersey . Striker Dario Mandzukic scored the opener in the 22nd minute but was given a red card nine minutes later for a reckless tackle and left Croatia with 10 men for the remainder of the match.Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley will be a game time decision for the clubs game against the Houston Dynamo at BMO Field Saturday night. Head coach Ryan Nelsen made the announcement after training on Friday. "You know Michael, he will try to get in and play," said the coach. Bradleey played in Torontos last game, a 2-1 loss to D.dddddddddddd.C. United, just days after returning from Brazil where he represented America at the World Cup. He was subbed off after an hour. Brazilian striker Gilberto will play in Saturdays match after recovering from a hip flexor. ' ' '