--LHP Hideki Okajima should be returning to the Sox for a third season after a vesting option for 2009 -- hinged on making 115 relief appearances over the past two seasons combined -- was triggered last month. The southpaw setup man made his 115th big league appearance on Aug. 20, and as a result the $1.75 million option immediately vested for next season. Okajima originally signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract with the vesting option prior to the 2007 season, and he is 3-2 with a 2.88 ERA in 57 games this season.

"For a guy that came over here maybe a little bit under the radar, he makes the All-Star team last year and sets the bar unbelievably high," manager Terry Francona said. "This year, even by his own account, it hasn't been as easy as it was last year. He's still a pretty good reliever, and when he gets that split or changeup over, he is a dominant reliever. In a day and age where it's really hard to find relievers, he's thrown (125) innings for us the last two years and done a pretty good job."

--LHP Jon Lester earned his 15th win of the season Sunday afternoon, the most victories by a Sox southpaw since David Wells won 15 games in 2005. With at least a start or two left in his regular season ledger, Lester could further pad his win total and become the winningest Sox lefty since LHP Bruce Hurst won 18 games for the Sox in 1988. The 24-year-old also won his 10th game at Fenway Park this season, the most home wins by a lefty at Fenway since Hurst won 13 games at the Fens during that same 1988 season. "He was strong," manager Terry Francona said. "He had two-seam movement down, cutter in, a couple of changeups and threw a couple really good breaking balls."

--OF Jacoby Ellsbury has hit safely in each of his last six games at a .286 clip (8-for-28), has scored five runs and has stolen four bases over that span -- a series of good signs from Boston's leadoff hitter. Ellsbury's steal of second in the first inning of Sunday's win was the 114th stolen base of the season for the Sox. The 114 steals was tied with the 1973 edition of the Red Sox for the second-highest team stolen-base total in the last 91 years. The 1934 Sox squad finished the season with 116 stolen bases, a total that is well within reach.

BY THE NUMBERS: 100 -- RBIs reached by Kevin Youkilis on Sept. 10, a career high for Youkilis and a signal of the offensive breakthrough the Sox slugger has enjoyed this season.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "My hand is not OK. It's still (bothering) me once in a while. But we're still winning, so I don't pay attention to it. I keep on trying. There's no pain. Clicking. If there was pain, I wouldn't be playing. Pain won't allow you to play like that. It's the same thing, on and off." -- DH David Ortiz, talking about the continued discomfort in his left wrist that he'll be playing through for the rest of the season.