Masterson masterful in Red Sox 2-1 win over KC

Published 12:05 am Wednesday, May 21, 2008

BOSTON — The best way to follow a no-hitter is to throw one of your own.

Watching Jon Lester’s no-hitter from his hotel room in Boston Monday night, Justin Masterson was thinking just that. If he could have just figured out a way to get Alex Gordon out, who knows what the rookie might have done.

“Just watching that, I was like, `Oh my goodness, it’s just so awesome,’ ” Masterson said. “And of course, rolling through my mind was, I wanted to throw a perfect game or do back-to-back no-hitters. That was taken away in the first inning.” But what wasn’t taken away Tuesday night in Masterson’s second start was his first career victory.

Masterson, 23, allowed three hits — all to Gordon — over 6 1/3 innings and this time the Red Sox bullpen made his effort stand up, holding off the Royals for a 2-1 victory before 37,486 at Fenway Park.

The right-hander, who walked three and struck out five, has now pitched 12 1/3 innings in two spot starts for the Red Sox — the first April 24 against the Angels — allowing a combined two runs (1.46 ERA) and five hits with nine strikeouts.

“I felt really good in both of them,” Masterson said. “Honestly, I think I felt even better (Tuesday) than I did in the last one. They’re both very similar in how things happened. (Tuesday), I had things going my way. (David) DeJesus hit the ball hard, right at guys. Alex Gordon, he was 3-for-3, but I thought I made a couple nice pitches and he hit them well, but they didn’t hurt us.”

Masterson was called up from Double A Portland before the game. After the game, Masterson was demoted and promoted at the same time, sent to Triple A Pawtucket. Bartolo Colon will be activated for his Red Sox debut Wednesday night.

“He’s a really good young pitcher that’s developing,” Manager Terry Francona said of Masterson. “Fortunately for us, he has the composure to come from Double A and pitch a major league game. He’s really done a good job. It’s more than just stuff. It’s the way he’s able to handle himself.

“He hasn’t pitched at the Triple A level yet. We love him and he’s going to get better. But he needs to go pitch and enjoy his development, because he is going to help us.”

(Optional add end)

In his April 24 start, Masterson left with the lead, but the bullpen could not hold it. The Royals threatened to repeat that outcome in the eighth, loading the bases against Hideki Okajima with two out.

But Jonathan Papelbon struck out Billy Butler before pitching a scoreless ninth — with two more strikeouts — for his 13th save.

“I wasn’t too nervous,” Masterson said. “I was more excited. I knew that the guys coming in would get the job done, like they always do and they didn’t prove me wrong. I was just pumped to see it happen. Pap ended it great.” The Red Sox scored both their runs in the second inning against Gil Meche (3-6, 5.58), who allowed five hits and struck out a season-high eight in seven innings.

Distributed by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service