Lester’s solid outing helps Red Sox beat Yankees

New York, NY, United States (4E Sports) – Jon Lester threw seven strong innings while Adrian Gonzalez hammered a two-run homer to help the Boston Red Sox beat the New York Yankees, 4-1, Saturday in the second game of a three-game set at Yankees Stadium.

A day after the Yankees hit five home runs, the left-hander Lester restored order by allowing just one earned run -– a homer by Curtis Granderson in the fourth — on four hits. He improved to 7-10 while lowering his ERA to 5.03.

Alfredo Aceves pitched a scoreless ninth for his 25th save in 31 opportunities.

In his second start as replacement for injured CC Sabathia, David Phelps (3-4) allowed three earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings.

The Red Sox got an early offensive boost from Gonzalez, who belted an opposite-field two-run homer with two outs in the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead.

Granderson broke Lester’s shutout bid in the fourth inning with his 32nd homer of the year that sailed over the center field wall, cutting Boston’s lead to 2-1.

Third baseman Nick Punto hammered an RBI double in the fifth inning while Scott Podsednik scored on a wild pitch by Cody Eppley in the ninth for a 4-1 cushion.

Shortstop Pedro Ciriaco finished with four hits while Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with two RBIs for the Red Sox.

Granderson finished the game 2-for-3 while Nick Swisher, who accounted two of the Yankees’ five homers Friday, had three hits.

Derek Jeter and Russell Martin, the other players who homered in the first game, went hitless.

The Yankees and Red Sox will go for a series win Sunday with Hiroki Kuroda (11-8) throwing for New York against struggling Josh Beckett (5-10).

Beckett has lost three of his last five starts, allowing 23 earned runs in 25.3 innings. His last victory came July 15 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kuroda has won his second straight start Tuesday, pitching his second complete game of the season in the Yankees’ 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers.

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