Mar 05, 2007 10:55 PM EST

Jon Lester pitched in a baseball game Monday.

Barely six months after learning he had cancer and just 2 1/2 months after his final chemotherapy session, the Red Sox starter stood on the rubber again. He looked at the catcher, threw a called strike and reclaimed his role -- pitcher, not cancer survivor.

"Just to get back and be normal again is awesome," the 23-year-old said.

Via AP