Jon Lester almost made history last night as he flirted with perfection in the Boston Red Sox 8-1 win over the Texas Rangers.

Lester sent down the first 19 batters he faced before he left a fastball out over the plate for Michael Young, who crushed it for a double. In fact, Young had both of the hits off of Lester last night. He also walked two and recorded eleven strikeouts. He has know struck out 23 batters in his last two starts.

This was the Lester we’ve been expecting all season long. His stuff was just downright filthy. He was moving the ball all over the place and didn’t matter where Jason Varitek called for it or what pitch he called. Lester told NESN’s Heidi Watney after the game that his stuff was more dominant last night than when he threw his no-hitter back in 2008.

This is what Young had to say about Lester’s effort last night:

“That was just lights-out,” Young said of Lester’s performance. “That was one of the best games I’ve seen in my career by a pitcher, topping at 98 [mph], pounding the strike zone. [He] used all his pitches, back-doored his cutter, threw his cutter in, curveball, changeup. You have to give him credit. He flat out threw a good game.”

With two good starts in a row, it really seems that Lester has turned the corner. Hopefully he can continue it in his next start.

John Smoltz made his fourth rehab start last night in Pawtucket and was outstanding once again. Smoltz went six innings, allowing one run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He’s expected to make one more rehab start with the PawSox before joining the Red Sox for a possible start on June 16th against the Florida Marlins.

Smoltz cruises though his first rehab start with PawSox [Providence Journal]

Fourth rehab start in the books for Smoltz [RedSox.com]

Smoltz on His Pawtucket Outing [Full Count]

Smoltz cruises in Pawtucket start [NESN.com]

Lester stifles Texas with another dominating performance [Providence Journal]

Young and the restless [Boston Globe]

Jon Lester likes Texas toast [Boston Herald]

Lester Flirts With Perfection In 2-Hitter [Hartford Courant]

Near no-hitters are no coincidence with these Sox [Providence Journal]

Power mower [Boston Globe]

Puzzled Omar Vizquel: No sign of Boston [Boston Herald]

Lugo Comes To His Own Defense [Hartford Courant]

Lugo smarting over what he feels is unfair criticism [Providence Journal]

Some think slump is all in Ortiz’s head [Boston Globe]

Jon Lester gets up to speed [Boston Herald]

Postgame notes [Providence Journal]

Pokes prodding talk of slight improvement [Boston Globe]

Rocco Baldelli adjusts to new on-call role [Boston Herald]

Red Sox journal: Baldelli-Sox ‘partnership’ working well [Providence Journal]

Lugo taking criticism about play at short [Boston Globe]

Julio Lugo talks good game [Boston Herald]

Ellsbury stealing Sox records, spotlight [RedSox.com]

Dustin Pedroia pick looms large [Boston Herald]

Baldelli making the most of his chances [RedSox.com]

Lowrie about three weeks from returning [Projo Sox Blog]

For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, and Providence Journal websites.

And if the enemy papers are more your flavor, you can check out the Dallas Morning News and Ft. Worth Star-Telegram websites.