BOSTON (AP) - Jon Lester pitched seven shutout innings to return to his winning form in Fenway Park, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
It was the fourth straight victory for the Red Sox, who can complete a sweep of the four-game series on Monday morning in the annual Patriots’ Day game.
Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell had RBI singles for Boston.
Koji Uehara (2-1) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings for the Orioles, who lost their fourth consecutive game.
Lester (1-2), who had allowed 11 runs in 12 innings in his first two starts of the season, held the Orioles to four singles while striking out nine and walking two. He lost his first start of the year in Fenway against Tampa Bay on April 8, snapping a 16-game regular-season unbeaten streak at home.
Ramon Ramirez pitched a perfect eighth and Takashi Saito allowed a run before finishing for his first save with the Red Sox. Saito retired the final two hitters with Aubrey Huff on second.
The Red Sox won for the 26th time in their last 32 home games against Baltimore.
Uehara’s third career start was his best so far, but the right-hander didn’t get the run support he received in his first two outings. In each of his first two games, the Orioles scored seven runs before he was replaced.
Ty Wigginton drove in Baltimore’s only run with a groundout in the ninth.
Boston’s Jason Bay went 0-for-3 and failed to reach base safely for the first time this season, halting a streak of 24 games dating to last season.
The Red Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second on Lowell’s RBI single, a soft fly that dropped in front of charging right fielder Nick Markakis after Kevin Youkilis led off with a double.
Pedroia singled in Nick Green with two outs in the fifth.
Notes:@ Red Sox manager Terry Francona elected to avoid using Jonathan Papelbon after he closed the past two games. … Baltimore CF Adam Jones left in the second due to a sore right hamstring. Felix Pie replaced him and made a spinning catch of Nick Green’s deep drive in the third. … Lester is 7-0 lifetime against Baltimore. … Former Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Also, as part of Kids’ Opening Weekend, Sesame Street’s Elmo threw out a first pitch.
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