Red Sox  11    Orioles  5

Boston Red Sox (87-59) at Baltimore Orioles (60-87), 7:05 p.m.

Sports Network | September 19, 2009

(Sports Network) - Jon Lester has been one of the best pitchers in baseball for the better part of three months. Tonight, he tries to get the Boston Red Sox closer to the postseason when they continue their three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards.

Lester won his third straight start on Sunday against Tampa Bay, as he scattered two hits and struck out seven over eight scoreless innings to run his record to 13-7, while lowering his earned run average to 3.29.

The 25-year-old lefty is now unbeaten in his last 10 starts (5-0) and is 10-2 with a 2.02 ERA in 19 appearances since May 31.

Lester has owned the Orioles over the course of his career, posting a perfect 9-0 mark to go along with a 2.21 ERA in 11 starts. This year has been more of the same, as he has beaten them three times and has pitched to a 0.84 ERA in those outings.

The Red Sox continued their recent mastery of the Orioles on Friday, as Clay Buchholz won his fifth straight decision, allowing one run in six innings, helping Boston strengthened its stranglehold on the American League wild card race with a 3-1 victory.

Buchholz (6-3) allowed five hits and three walks while striking out one to help the Red Sox increase their lead over Texas to seven games with 16 games remaining. Buchholz is 4-0 with a 1.57 earned run average in his last five starts.

"We talk about it all the time. Every five days, you send him out there and you feel like you know what you're going to get," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "That's important. Again, I know you have to have good stuff, but that's part of him growing into this. It's exciting. It's really exciting."

Jason Bay belted what proved to be the game-winning solo homer for Boston, which has won eight of nine overall and 14 of 16 against Baltimore this season. Jonathan Papelbon notched his 37th save of the season.

Luke Scott hit a solo homer for the Orioles, who have lost four of six. Jeremy Guthrie (10-15) lasted 5 2/3 frames and allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks to absorb the loss.

Baltimore, meanwhile, will pin its hopes tonight on rookie right-hander David Hernandez, who is 4-8 with a 5.40 ERA. Hernandez lost his second straight start and fell for the fourth time in as many decisions on Monday against the Rays, who lit him up for five runs and nine hits in just three innings.

Hernandez has faced the Red Sox three times this season and is 1-2 in those outings with a 5.79 ERA.

Boston has won six of the seven matchups held in Camden Yards between these teams this season and over the last 27 meetings between the divisional foes, the Red Sox have won 23 times.