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Sports

Lester fans 11 as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 2-0

Associated Press
Published | Updated

TORONTO (AP) — Jon Lester struck out 11 in seven innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

Darnell McDonald scored one run and drove in another to help the Red Sox win their sixth straight game in Toronto. The Red Sox swept consecutive series of three games or more in this city for the first time since 1981 and 1982.

Toronto, which has lost nine of 12, was shut out for the second time in four games.

Jonathan Papelbon worked the ninth for his seventh save.

Lester (1-2) came in winless in four starts with a 6.23 ERA but was brilliant in this one.

He allowed just one hit, a leadoff double by Vernon Wells in the second, and followed by retiring 14 straight batters, a streak that ended with Mike McCoy's two-out walk in the sixth. Lester finished that inning by striking out Aaron Hill looking, and ended his outing with a 1-2-3 seventh.

Daniel Bard took over in the eighth and gave up a leadoff double to Alex Gonzalez, then struck out pinch hitters Adam Lind, Fred Lewis and Travis Snider.

Jonathan Papelbon worked the ninth for his seventh save.

With Lester silencing the Blue Jays offense, Toronto's fans didn't have much to cheer about. One of the loudest ovations of the night from the 15,276 fans came when word spread that the Montreal Canadiens scored a third-period goal against the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of their first round playoff series.

Boston broke a scoreless tie in the sixth when McDonald led off with a double, went to third on Marco Scutaro's single and scored on Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly.

The Red Sox doubled their lead against reliever Casey Janssen in the seventh when McDonald grounded a two-out single through the left side.

Making his second start of the season, Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil (1-1) allowed one run and five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out three.

NOTES: Red Sox OF Mike Cameron, out since April 18 with an abdominal strain, is expected to resume running this weekend, manager Terry Francona said. ... Blue Jays LHP Rommie Lewis made his major league debut with a scoreless ninth.