FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jon Lester pitched six perfect innings and combined with his bullpen to hold the Tampa Bay Rays without a baserunner until one out in the ninth, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5-1 victory Sunday.
Jason Bourgeois reached on an infield hit to second baseman Jonathan Diaz in the ninth against Marco Duarte, Boston's fourth pitcher. Bourgeois advanced on Christian Vazquez's two-out passed ball and scored on Cole Figueroa's double.
Lester, Boston's projected opening-day starter, struck out six and threw 53 of 79 pitches for strikes. He allowed allowed two runs, six hits and four walks over five starts and 20 innings, striking out 16.
Jonny Gomes was 3 for 3 with four RBIs for the Red Sox, who wore green uniforms and caps on St. Patrick's Day.
Alex Cobb, making his fifth start, allowed four runs — three earned — and six hits in 5 1-3 innings with five strikeouts.
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