BOSTON - Last night marked just the third start this season that Jon Lester allowed as many as five runs in an outing.

Still, by pitching into the eighth inning last night, Lester has gone at least seven innings in five of his last starts.

He threw 117 pitches last night, his second-highest total of the season, topped only by his no-hitter against Kansas City on May 19.

The three runs scored off him in the fourth inning ended a streak of 12 straight scoreless innings. Before that, he hadn’t allowed a run since his final inning in Houston on June 28.