More from RealGM
 More Red Sox NewsRed Sox Links
Staring at Boston catcher Jason Varitek's target, Lester disregarded the fluttering in his stomach, rocked into his windup and fired his first pitch -- a called strike, the one he had dreamed of making for 11 months. On Monday night, Lester crowned a courageous comeback from cancer with a victory. The young pitcher, whose rookie season ended suddenly when he was diagnosed with a treatable form of lymphoma, pitched six innings to lead the Red Sox to a 6-2 win over the Indians. "I figured the day would come," Lester said. "I just didn't know when. It's just nice to be back." |
As the emotions washed over him, Jon Lester stood on the mound and squeezed the baseball tightly in his left hand.