01:00 AM EDT on Wednesday, May 24, 2006

BY SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Journal Sports Writer

PAWTUCKET -- Jon Lester didn't think so, but his manager thought the young left-hander gave the Pawtucket Red Sox five strong innings last night against the Louisville Bats at McCoy Stadium.

Lester, rated as the top pitching prospect in the Boston organization, threw 84 pitches (47 strikes), allowing just three hits while walking four, striking out three and giving up one run in a 2-1 PawSox victory.

"Jon developed tonight," said PawSox skipper Ron Johnson. "There's nights when you take your real good stuff out there, but tonight he didn't have his command (and) his stuff got him through. After he came out (of the game), he was kind of disappointed, but you know what, that was an outstanding outing.

"He fell behind a lot of hitters and he had to stay mature and composed. I was very pleased with that tonight."

Lester, a 22-year-old lefty, got some help from his teammates in the fifth, when Louisville scored its lone run.

Former Wheaton All-American Chris Denorfia singled to left, scoring Matt Kata, but Dane Sardinha tried to score the tying run from second and was gunned out at the plate by left fielder Trent Durrington.

Lester's outing gave him his third win in his last four starts, with one no-decision.

Tim Bausher, Manny Delcarmen and Jermaine Van Buren combined for the final four shutout innings.

"Bausher looked really good," said Johnson. "He found his breaking ball and he said he felt real good."

Pawtucket got all the offense it needed in the first.

Adam Stern drew a walk to lead off the inning and moved to third on Dustin Pedroia's double to left. Ron Calloway brought both baserunners with a first-pitch single to left. The next batter, Hee-Seop Choi nearly hit a home run to right, but the wind knocked it down for the first out of the inning.

In the second, Stern collected his first triple of the season with two outs but was left stranded.

Pedroia went 3-for-3 with a walk and raised his average from .241 to .261.

NOTES: Lefty Abe Alvarez was moved back to Pawtucket from Boston yesterday to make room for reliever David Riske, who had been rehabbing with the PawSox. Alvarez, who is 5-0 with a 2.18 E.R.A. for Pawtucket, will start Friday. . . . Today's starters for the second game of this four-game set are Matt Ginter (2-4, 2.95 E.R.A.) for the Sox and Mike Gossling (2-4, 5.35) for the Bats. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

smanza@projo.com / (401) 277-7340