Lester tunes up for Japan

FORT MYERS, Fla. - In a huge offensive day so far for the Sox, leading 14-5 in the seventh, lefty Jon Lester went four innings allowed four hits, three runs, one walk, three strikeouts and two wild pitches.

There's a chance Lester could pitch one of the two games in Japan against Oakland.

"I feel pretty good," he said. "It's kind of that point in spring training, just getting used to throwing again. I feel all right. Every start I've gotten better with something. I've made improvement in some areas. Just keep building and get stronger. "

Lester said the only thing he didn't like about his outing was that he didn't economize his pitches. He threw 70 pitches.

"They're a good team," he said about the Reds. "That was the only frustrating part in that I was making good pitches. I was getting a ground ball or a fly ball, just getting a lot of foul balls and racking up that pitch count."
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He said about the Japan trip: "Whether we're ready or not, we've got to go. It'll be a long flight but it'll be fun."

Lester said concerning his improved strength from last season when he was recovering from cancer, "My body is coming back pretty good. I hit a little wall after my start against the Mets, but I'm starting to feel better and hopefully it will carry over."