All of a sudden, the Chicago White Sox are the ones who have to play catch-up. 

Jon Lester flirted with a no-hitter in his final tuneup before the playoffs, finishing with six innings of two-hit ball on Thursday night and leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Cleveland Indians. 

If the Cleveland Indians hadn't broken up Jon Lester's bid for his second no-hitter this season, his own team would have. 

Indians pitcher Fausto Carmona and catcher Victor Martinez began serving suspensions Thursday night for a bench-clearing brawl against the Tigers after reaching an agreement with Major League Baseball that reduced their penalties by one game apiece. 

The playoff-bound Boston Red Sox will soon determine their postseason rotation, and Jon Lester will likely be a part of it. 

Last week we looked at potential 2009 closers in the National League. 

The playoff-bound Boston Red Sox will soon determine their postseason rotation, and Jon Lester will likely be a part of it. 

The Boston Red Sox barely had time to dry off from their champagne-spraying celebration before they started pounding Cleveland Indians pitchers anew. 

Pinch-hitter Jeff Bailey tripled and scored on Mark Kotsay's double to break an eighth-inning tie on Wednesday night, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians. 

Cliff Lee's triumph and Tom Glavine's demise land the hurlers on opposite sides of Tracy Ringolsby's Good, Bad and Ugly for 2008. 

--3B Andy Marte left Tuesday night's game in the third inning with a left calf strain, suffered while running to first base. 

MEDICAL WATCH: 3B Andy Marte (left calf strain) left the Sept. 

Cliff Lee's historic season only has one start remaining, and there are signs that the strain and the workload of his season may finally be having an effect. 

The White Sox are limping to the finish line, but Dayn Perry says they have the pitching to survive as baseball's races wind down. 

A strong start from Paul Byrd helped Cleveland get past Boston in last season's playoffs.