(Sports Network) - Jon Lester hopes to follow up one of the best outings of his career this evening, when the Boston Red Sox wrap up their three-game set with the Florida Marlins at Fenway Park.

Lester became the first lefty in Red Sox history to strike out 10 or more in three straight starts Friday in Philadelphia, as he fanned 11 Phillies and surrendered a run and two hits in seven innings. However, he did not get a decision in his team's eventual extra-inning win.

After opening the year 2-4, Lester -- a 16-game winner a year ago -- has won three of his last four decisions and is 5-5 with a 4.76 earned run average overall. He's given up just one run in four of his last five outings.

Lester did not get a decision in his only other start against the Marlins back in 2006.

Florida, meanwhile, will hand the ball to an apparently rejuvenated Ricky Nolasco, who has pitched well in his two starts since returning from a stint in the minors.

After allowing eight runs in back-to-back outings, Nolasco was shipped to Triple-A New Orleans on May 23. However, he returned on June 7 to face the San Francisco Giants and allowed a pair of earned runs in seven innings despite being charged with the loss, which dropped him to 2-6 on the season.

Nolasco then yielded two runs in six innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, but did not get a decision despite lowering his overall ERA to a still-lofty 7.62.

This will be his first appearance against the Red Sox.

In the 500th consecutive sellout at Fenway Park on Tuesday, Brad Penny threw five innings against his former team to record his 100th career victory and Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 with three RBI to help Boston to a 6-1 triumph.

Penny (6-2), who has been the subject of trade rumors lately, won for the first time in four starts. The right-hander, who spent his first four-plus seasons with the Marlins, allowed three hits and an unearned run before departing due to throwing 100 pitches. He also had four walks against three strikeouts.

"I feel really strong," said Penny. "I think that was one of my problems tonight. My command, I felt a little too good. The last two games, back-to- back, have been the best I've felt in probably over five years."

Rocco Baldelli had a pair of hits and an RBI, while David Ortiz scored three times for the AL East-leading Red Sox, who won for the seventh time in eight games.

The Marlins, who totaled six hits, came into this series off a three-game sweep at Toronto. They went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base.

"We just didn't get the knock when we needed to," said Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I thought our approach against Penny was good. We got his pitch count up. He got the out when he needed to get the out and their bullpen did a terrific job for the rest of the game."

Andrew Miller (2-3) was charged with seven hits and four runs over 5 1/3 innings and absorbed the loss.

The Red Sox and Marlins are meeting for the first time since Boston won two of three tests in Miami from June 30-July 2 of the 2006 campaign. All- time, Florida is 8-15 against the Red Sox, including 5-9 at Fenway Park.

Florida's last trip to Fenway was in 2003, when it went 1-2.



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