The Red Sox have taken a 1-0 lead on Dustin Pedroia’s first-inning RBI single.
Jon Lester worked through the top of the first with relative ease, striking out the first batter he saw in Jemile Weeks and only allowing the one hit on a ground ball from Coco Crisp. At 15 his pitch count is reasonable through one.
The Sox had a little more success than the Athletics in their half of the inning. While Jacoby Ellsbury couldn’t provide a leadoff baserunner, Marco Scutaro made up for it by doubling off the Monster, and came around to score when Dustin Pedroia drilled a ground ball down the left field line. He was caught at second trying to stretch it to a double, but Scutaro had crossed the plate in plenty of time to give Boston the 1-0 lead.