BOSTON -- Jon Lester just missed his second career shutout at Fenway Park as the Red Sox rolled to a 6-1 victory Monday night in the first of a two-game series against the Mariners.
Lester's magnificent performance allowed him to win just his second game in the last 12 starts dating back to Sept. 11, 2011.
This season, his biggest obstacle had been run support, as the Red Sox had scored him just 3.43 runs a game entering this one -- the lowest of anyone in Boston's rotation.
But the Sox gave him enough to work with in this one.
Daniel Nava and Kelly Shoppach both went deep to spark the offense.
The Red Sox came out swinging out of the gate. Dustin Pedroia ignited the first-inning rally against Jason Vargas with a one-out walk. David Ortiz and Adrian Gonzalez followed with back-to-back opposite-field RBI doubles.
Lester, meanwhile, stifled the Mariners, making that early 2-0 lead seem larger.
And in the fourth, the Red Sox took some more big cuts. After a leadoff single by Cody Ross, Nava smacked a two-run homer that just cleared the Green Monster. It was Nava's second career homer, but first since he hit a grand slam in his first Major League at-bat on June 12, 2010.
Later in the inning, Shoppach unloaded for a solo shot that sailed into the parking lot beyond the Monster Seats. That gave Lester a 5-0 lead.
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