Final, Rangers 18-3: From the beginning, this one didn't turn out well for the Red Sox.
A look at the final score has you almost forgetting the Red Sox had a 2-0 lead to start the game. But it was just a sloppy game offensively, defensively and pitching-wise.
All the team can do is return back to the office on Wednesday and hope to erase those memories.
Mid 9th, Rangers 18-3: Vicente Padilla couldn't leave unscathed either, allowing Mike Napoli to uncork a two-run shot.
It was Napoli's second home run of the game. The shot barely made it beyond the right field foul pole.
Bottom 8th, Rangers 16-3: Kevin Youkilis just struck out for the fourth time in four at-bats.
This is going to be a start that the Red Sox simply want to forget. The only moment worth noting was that Nate Spears got an at-bat in garbage time.
Mid 8th, Rangers 16-2: Mark Melancon faced six batters in the eighth and allowed three home runs. He surrendered six runs in the inning.
For the record, Melancon has already surrendered as many homers in 2012 and he did in the entire 2011 season.
Also, Cody Ross misplayed his second fly ball of the night in Fenway's left field.
Bottom 7th, Rangers 8-2: Colby Lewis is on cruise control. He's allowed eight hits and fanned seven batters.
If it wasn't for that hiccup in the first inning, he'd be squeaky clean right about now.
Mid 7th, Rangers 8-2: After a lengthy gap in between his first appearance of the season and Monday's stint, Matt Albers is back for the second straight day.
He mixed his fastball with some offspeed stuff to get out of the inning unscathed.
Also, Scott Atchison gave the Red Sox a solid four innings of work, allowing one run, three hits and one walk.
Bottom 6th, Rangers 8-2: Man, Kevin Youkilis is really having a tough one out there against the Rangers.
He just struck out swinging for the third straight time in this game. Whether or not Bobby Valentine was truly trying to motivate him with the comments is unknown — even though Valentine publicly contends they weren't meant to motivate.
Clearly, Youkilis is still trying to find a rhythm.
Mid 6th, Rangers 8-2: On the first pitch from Atchison, Michael Young crushed a solo shot.
Otherwise, not too much there. It was a five-pitch inning for Atchison and Matt Albers may be in line to relieve him since he's warming up.
Bottom 5th, Rangers 7-2: Colby Lewis retires the Red Sox' side 1-2-3 without a problem.
Before this season and his days in the ESPN booth, Bobby Valentine had a bit of familiarity with Lewis from back in Japan.
Lewis pitched for Hiroshima and only played against Valentine's team a handful of times since they were in different leagues.
Mid 5th, Rangers 7-2: Mike Aviles looked a little shaken up right there, when Ian Kinsler slid to second and tried to break up the play.
He shook it off and managed to throw out Elvis Andrus.
You have to give Scott Atchison credit for steadying the ship after Lester's rocky outing.
Bottom 4th, Rangers 7-2: Josh Hamilton played that ball off the left field wall very smoothly and fired a bullet to second base, getting Jason Repko out.
For a random positive note, Saltalmacchia has made excellent contact on the two pitches he's hit, belting both balls to the warning track for fly outs.
They have both fallen just short of homers.
Mid 4th, Rangers 7-2: The slider and the curveball were working well for Scott Atchison in that inning.
As he relied on those pitches, he struck out both Michael Young and Mike Napoli to post the Red Sox' first scoreless inning since the first frame.
Bottom 3rd, Rangers 7-2: Kevin Youkilis strikes out for the second straight at-bat. So far, it's been a tough few days for him.
Earlier in the afternoon, he said he wanted to put Bobby Valentine's comments about his performance behind him.
Mid 3rd, Rangers 7-2: This one's turning ugly pretty quickly. As Atchison came in, he allowed an RBI single and a sacrifice fly that scored.
Kevin Youkilis almost added to the woes, bobbling a pitch, but he made up for it nicely by diving to third base to get the forceout.
To recap Lester's performance, he threw 80 pitches, 46 of them for strikes. He was charged with seven runs.
8:21 p.m.: Sometimes, you just don't have it. And on Tuesday night, Lester just didn't have it.
After a lengthy second inning, he started the third by allowing a single and walking two straight batters.
He hit the 80-pitch mark and hadn't recorded an out yet, which is never a good sign.
Bottom 2nd, Rangers 4-2: With some run support, Lewis stifled the Red Sox batters, striking out Aviles and Repko while getting Saltalamacchia to fly out.
What a quick bottom of the inning compared to the lengthy top, which included a mound visit from Bob McClure.
Scott Atchison is warming up in the bullpen if Lester continues on pace to exceed his pitch count or runs into trouble.
Mid 2nd, Rangers 4-2: Just when Lester had a lead, he surrendered it right back, allowing Mike Napoli to unload a two-run shot over the Green Monster.
Lester struggled with his command throughout the entire inning and finished with 63 pitches. It could've been worse if Andrus and Hamilton didn't swing at first pitches.
It didn't help Lester's cause that Cody Ross misplayed a ball in the outfield — that should've been a can of corn — and became an RBI for Hamilton.
Bottom 1st, Red Sox 2-0: During his last two starts, Jon Lester has barely received run support.
Not here. Dustin Pedroia blasted a two-run shot over the Green Monster to give the pitcher some room to work with for a change.
Kevin Youkilis also came up to bat and didn't really receive any reaction from the fans on the heels of Bobby Valentine's words.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton start it off with a pair of singles.
That wasn't before Jon Lester retired Elvis Andrus on a strikeout. He was bringing some heat early, hitting 95 mph on the stadium radar gun.
Former Sox third basemen Adrian Beltre grounded out into a 4-6-3 double play to squash the threat. Beltre came into the game hitting .289.
6:50 p.m.: Here are the lineups.
Red Sox
Mike Aviles, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
Ryan Sweeney, RF
Cody Ross, LF
Jarrod Salatalmacchia, C
Jason Repko, CF
Jon Lester, P
Rangers
Ian Kinsler, 2B
Elvis Andrus, SS
Josh Hamilton, LF
Adrian Beltre, 3B
Michael Young, DH
Nelson Cruz, RF
Mike Napoli, 1B
Yorvit Torrealba, C
Craig Gentry, CF
Colby Lewis, P
8 a.m.: After winning three of four games, the Red Sox (4-5) are shifting gears to the two-time reigning American League champion Rangers (8-2). Looking to restart the winning ways, the Red Sox will have Jon Lester on the bump, when the game starts at 7:10 p.m.
The last two times Lester has started, he's been in pitching duels — one against Justin Verlander and the other against Ricky Romero. Despite earning two no-decisions to start the year, he's posted a 2.40 ERA. He may be in store for another duel with righty Colby Lewis, who has a 1-0 record and owns a 1.42 ERA, on the mound for the Rangers.
For more details and analysis from Fenway, follow NESN.com's live blog. Be sure to tune into NESN for the game.
