Lester Strong As Red Sox Avoid Sweep By Toronto

[photogallerylink id=44577 align=right]Jon Lester pitched seven sharp innings and J.D. Drew homered in a five-run fifth as the Boston Red Sox avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-0 on Sunday.

The Blue Jays were mathematically eliminated from the playoff race with the loss.

Victor Martinez also homered for Boston.

Lester (18-8) won his fifth straight start and became the first Red Sox lefty to win 18 games since Bruce Hurst in 1988. Lester pitched out of bases-loaded jams in the third and fifth, allowing four hits and four walks in all.

He struck out only four, snapping a string of four straight games in which he'd fanned at least 10.

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