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After losing the middle games in the four-game series, the Red Sox turned to Jon Lester to preserve the split. While the Red Sox would make up no ground with a split, they would also be no further back from the AL East lead than when they entered New York. Thanks to extraordinary efforts from their young trio of pitchers – Lester, Bard, and Papelbon – they came away with a victory Monday and won two of the four games in the Bronx.

Lester pitched 6.1 innings of scoreless baseball, but ran into some trouble at the end. In fact, the Sox lefty carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning until Austin Kearns recorded a single. Through his 6.1 innings, Lester walked three and struck out six, but was pulled with the bases loaded after retiring Curtis Granderson. Bard came in and struck out Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher on just six pitches. The flamethrower pitched likely the best two thirds of an inning the Red Sox have gotten this year.

All did not go well for Bard from there.  Mark Teixeira came up and smacked a home run off Bard to cut the Sox lead in half in the 8^th inning and with two outs and runners in scoring position Terry Francona summoned his closer. Papelbon responded with a fast groundout by Kearns. In the ninth, the Sox closer walked Derek Jeter with one out and while Jeter got himself into scoring position with a steal, Papelbon struck out Swisher and Teixeira to retire the side and end the game.

Sox Stud of the Game: Daniel Bard

Bard got out of the bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning like few pitchers in baseball can, stunning the Yankees with heat.

Sox Dud of the Game:  Adrian Beltre

Beltre walked away from this game without a hit, going 0-4.

Game Notes:

W: Lester (12-7)

L: Hughes (13-5)

SV: Papelbon (28)

• Jacoby Ellsbury stole 4 bases, tying the Red Sox record held by former Sox second baseman and current NESN broadcaster Jerry Remy.
• Ellsbury also recorded his first hit since returning from the disabled list.
• Ryan Kalish recorded his first major league stolen base.

About Mike Carlucci

Mike Carlucci writes about the Red Sox for Sports of Boston and can be found blogging about baseball and technology. He has a J.D and enjoys palindromes and espresso. You can follow him on Twitter @mikecarlucci or on Google+.

Tags: Daniel Bard, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Jonathan Papelbon