In a season in which many great expectations have been heaped on 24-year-old Jon Lester, the young southpaw managed to deliver on all of them and then some Monday night.
On his 130th pitch of the evening -- a 94-mph fastball for a swinging strike three against Alberto Callaspo -- Lester delivered the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history and validated his major league credentials by carrying the Sox to a 7-0 victory over the Kansas City Royals. It was the second no-hitter in less than a year for the Sox. Fellow homegrown pitcher Clay Buchholz turned the trick against the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 1 last season.
"What a story," said manager Terry Francona, who had just returned from watching his son Nick graduate from the University of Pennsylvania. "This probably isn't fair to say, but I feel like my son graduated (Sunday night) and my son threw a no-hitter (Monday night). It couldn't happen to a better kid."
The no-hitter was yet another notch in a career that has already seen Lester defeat cancer and then stand gloriously victorious on Coors Field after earning the decisive Game Four win in last season's World Series.
Immediately following Monday night's hallmark game, catcher Jason Varitek -- who caught his major league record fourth career no-hitter in the victory -- handed Lester the ball, and Francona clutched his young pitcher in a long embrace.
"It was tough," Lester said after the game with a nod to his battle against cancer. "It was a long road back. When I did get back, I wanted to be at a certain level and I wasn't at that level. It took a while.
"It was tough mentally and physically to go out and pitch every five days. I'm just glad that I'm here at this moment right now and in five days, I'll go out and pitch again."
Lester became the first Sox lefty to toss a no-hitter since Mel Parnell turned the trick on July 14, 1956.
"The fastball command and how powerful he was... that was really something special to watch," said pitching coach John Farrell. "For us to witness and see what John has come through with his hard work, his determination, and -- what people don't see -- the work that he puts in those five days between starts, he stayed with a very outwardly controlled approach despite the adrenaline and nerves that must have been flying through him."
RED SOX 7, ROYALS 0: Jon Lester spun the 18th no-hitter in Red Sox history and struck out a season-high nine batters in a thoroughly dominating performance from the 24-year-old southpaw. The Sox struck for five runs in the third to break things open, and catcher Jason Varitek slammed a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to cap the scoring.
