Tuesday, May 20 2008 -- It's a great story. Boston Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester, who is a cancer survivor (Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma) became the 18th Red Sox pitcher to throw a no-hitter last night, when he beat the Kansas City Royals, 7-0.

According to Charles Barkley (half-time at the Spurs-Hornets game) it should only count as "half a no-hitter", because after all, he was facing the Royals, but that's not really fair. The Royals are below .500, but only by two games. Mark Grudzielanek has a batting average over .300, and a few others are just below the .300 mark. Also, if it were that easy to no-hit the Royals...why was this the first time since 1973 that they've been no-hit?

The final score was 7-0, but it was closer than that for a while. Boston erupted for 5 runs in the third, when Julio Lugo hit into a double play that scored a run. With two outs and nobody on, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a triple - a genuine triple, not one misplayed by the outfielder that was called a triple! - and scored when the Royals pitcher walked the bases full and then walked him in.

In the 4th inning, Jacoby really put on a show. After making that diving catch in center that saved Lester's no-hitter, he walked, stole second... and then stole third. Unfortunately he was stranded there.

Meanwhile, Manny Ramirez is still at 498 homeruns.