By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com Red Sox InsiderFollow @sean_mcadam
CHICAGO -- Jon Lester hadn't had much success against the Chicago White Sox, but the way he pitched Saturday, he could have beat most any lineup.
Lester limited the White Sox to just two runs on four hits over eight innings to claim his first win in exactly a month as the Red Sox battered the White Sox, 10-2.
"He was terrific,'' enthused Terry Francona. "He threw a lot of strikes, worked ahead in the count. He had the one inning where he threw about 20 pitches, but other than that, he had a lot of quick innings.''
Indeed, in five of the first six innings, Lester faced the minimum number of hitters. Through six innings, he had allowed just two hits before giving up two solo homers in his final two innings.
Lester had allowed 15 runs in his last two starts against the White Sox, but there was no struggle Saturday.
"I don't think he ever needs to alter his approach,'' said Francona. "He throws what he throws and when he throws it like he can and locates, that's pretty good.''
For Lester, who was on a pitch count the previous outing, it felt good to go deep into the game.
Boston Red Sox
"It felt good,'' said Lester. "The pitch count was down, it was an aggressive team and Salty (Jarrod Saltalamacchia) did a great job of mixing off-speed pitches both ahead and behind in the count. And for the most part, I was able to keep the fastball down.
It was quite a hectic day for Mike Aviles, who was obtained from the Kansas City Royals for Yamaico Navarro and Class A pitcher Kendal Volz.
The Royals and Aviles were in Cleveland -- having just played four games in Boston against the Red Sox -- when the call came, telling him he'd been traded to Boston.
He caught a late-afternoon flight from Cleveland to Chicago, landed around game-time and got to the ballpark around the third inning.
Aviles made his debut in the ninth, filling in for Kevin Youkilis as a defensive replacement.
He had been unhappy in Kansas City because he wasn't an everyday player. He knows he won't be an everyday player with the Sox, but he's also gone from last place to the team with the best record in the American League.
"However the manager wants to use me, that's perfectly fine,'' said Aviles of his new situation. "The situation here is completely different. We're in first place, and we have an opportunity to win a world championship. When you have that, it's going to take more than 25 guys. I'm more than happy to be one of those guys.
"It's a blessing (to come here). I'm very fortunate to be a part of this and very happy because it's definitely a different atmosphere. I was over (in Kansas City), we were having tough seasons and now I'm on a team where every year you're in contention.''
The Sox intend to try to get Aviles comfortable enough to play in the outfield. He played there some in college during summer ball and thinks he can adapt.
"I know I'm pretty athletic,'' said Aviles, "so I think I can pick it up pretty quick.''
Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam