BOSTON -- Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell waited until all of his players safely made it out of a simulated game on Wednesday before confirming what hed only hinted at before: Left-hander Jon Lester will start Game 1 of the AL division series. Cheap NFL Jerseys Shop . "Hes been outstanding in the second half," Farrell said in the clubhouse. "The last couple of starts hes put together for us have been very strong." Lester was 15-8 with a 3.75 ERA this season, but he won his first six decisions and seven of his last nine. From May 20 through the All-Star break, he went 2-6 with a 6.27 ERA. Lester will be followed in the rotation by John Lackey and Clay Buchholz, with Jake Peavy ready to pitch Game 4 of the best-of-five series against Tampa Bay if necessary. The Rays advanced with a 4-0 victory at Cleveland in the AL wild-card game Wednesday night. The Red Sox have not played since finishing the regular season on Sept. 29 with a 97-65 record that tied the St. Louis Cardinals for the best in baseball. In order to stay sharp, the Red Sox held a workout on Tuesday and played a simulated game -- red vs. blue -- on Wednesday. "Today is part of doing what we can to ensure that were prepared, and not letting a four-day layoff affect us," Farrell said. "No ones looking at the layoff as a detriment." Almost 4,000 fans came to the ballpark to hear public address announcer Dick Flavin announce, "Welcome to todays game between the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Red Sox." Children lined up for balloon animals or to have their faces painted while former Red Sox infielder Ted Lepcio signed autographs on the concourse. The blue team, which included most of the regulars, won 1-0 on a first-inning double by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. "Obviously, it wasnt a real game atmosphere," infielder Will Middlebrooks said, adding that it was good to see live pitching after one day off and another with a more traditional workout. "Today we picked it up a bit. Two days off is a lot for us. You dont want to get too used to that." Lester did not pitch in the simulated game. Buchholz went three innings and allowed one run, Peavy pitched two scoreless innings and Lackey pitched one. "Im pretty glad Im on this side," outfielder Jonny Gomes said after facing his teammates. Most importantly, no one was hurt. Farrell has been reminded this week that in a scrimmage between the end of the 1946 season and the World Series that year, Ted Williams was hit on the right elbow by a pitch in a tuneup game and went on to bat 5 for 25 -- all singles -- in the Series against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Sox lost in seven games. No baserunners tried to break up double plays on Wednesday. And, except for a diving catch in right field by reserve Quintin Berry, nothing especially dangerous happened. "I think everyone understands the purpose of today," Farrell said before the game, adding after: "Our pitchers were cognizant of not trying to pitch inside. But we got our work in." Farrell also said on Wednesday that the team will carry 11 pitchers for the post-season. The roster decisions have mostly been made, he said without announcing them; the final rosters are due at 10 a.m. on Friday, the morning of Game 1. Authentic Cheap Jerseys . Neither made it that far in 2013. Not even close. Federer lost his second match at the All England Club. Nadal exited in the first round, a year after bowing out in the second. Cheap NBA Jerseys China .Y. - Phil Varone was the lone scorer in the shootout as the Rochester Americans edged the Toronto Marlies 3-2 on Sunday in American Hockey League action. http://www.wholesalechinajerseys.net/ . Louis Cardinals won the World Series last season, but after losing first baseman Albert Pujols to free agency and manager Tony LaRussa to retirement, they opened the 2012 season in 12th spot in the TSN.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - Terrell Suggs isnt one to get rattled. The Baltimore Ravens linebacker has made a career out of being the one who agitates, not the one who gets agitated.For a night anyway, the Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to reverse the roles.Ben Roethlisberger threw six touchdown passes and the Ravens lost their cool in a 43-23 loss on Sunday night. Baltimore turned it over twice, gave up four sacks and was flagged 10 times while losing its second straight.We didnt respond well when bad things started to happen, Suggs said. Weve got to be better. We cant be kidding ourselves anymore. We have a lot of work to do.Better get started soon. The Ravens (5-4) fell into last place in the crowded AFC North with the loss after it failed to sweep the season series from the surging Steelers (6-3), who have won three straight.Its frustrating anytime you lose and dont play the way you expect to play, but weve got to get over it and keep working on it, Baltimore wide receiver Torrey Smith said. Nobodys going to feel sorry for us.Certainly not Pittsburgh. The Ravens dominated the Steelers 26-6 in Week 2, emerging from a chaotic few days surrounding the release of running back Ray Rice by physically overwhelming the Steelers.This time, it was the other way around. Joe Flacco threw for 303 yards with two touchdowns and an interception but absorbed a series of shots from a relentless Pittsburgh pass rush.They come after you and you have to get the ball in someones hands, coach John Harbaugh said. You have to make a play to take them out of it. We didnt do enough to discourage that at all really at any point in the game.There were no such issues for Roethlisberger.A week after passing for a franchise-record six touchdowns against Indianapolis, Roethlisberger duplicated the feat to help Pittsburgh (6-3) win its third straight. Roethlisbergers 12 touchdown passes over the last two games broke the mark of 11 set by Tom Flores for Oakland in 1963 and matched by New Englands Tom Brady in 2007.Antonio Brown caught 10 passes for 138 yards and a score. Rookie Martavis Bryant hauled in two scoring receptions and has five touchdowns in three games.The renewal of one of the NFLs most physical rivalries traded its usual taut, low-scoring style for something decidedly more spectacular but no less physical. When Roethlisberger wasnt dissecting Baltimores depleted secondary with his expanding number of targetss, the teams were trading punches and penalties. Wholesale Jerseys Authenitc. Just not the lead, not after a resurgent Pittsburgh defence gave Roethlisberger all the momentum he would need to continue the finest stretch of his 11-year career.We took advantage of turnovers our defence gave us, Roethlisberger said. We were slow starting but made plays down the stretch.The Ravens were in front 7-0 midway through the second quarter and the Steelers were sputtering when a little vintage Pittsburgh defence — led by suddenly youthful 36-year-old linebacker James Harrison — turned the tide.Cornerback Brice McCain raced 26 yards following a Lorenzo Taliaferro fumble to set up a 5-yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to LeVeon Bell, and Jason Worilds picked off Flacco and returned it 30 yards to put Roethlisberger in position to find Bryant for a 19-yard score to put the Steelers up 14-7.The Ravens, playing without injured cornerback Jimmy Smith, simply couldnt keep up. Roethlisberger ended the half with a perfect 47-yard strike to Markus Wheaton.Even when things went wrong, they went right for Pittsburgh. The Steelers tacked on a 2-point conversion following Wheatons score when punter Brad Wing made up for a botched hold by scrambling to his right and connecting with tight end Matt Spaeth to make it 22-10 at the break.Rather than sit on the lead, the Steelers kept attacking. Roethlisbergers 25 completions went to eight different receivers, though he relied on an old one and his new favourite to help the Steelers end a pivotal three-game homestand with a perfect 3-0 record.Roethlisberger found Brown for a 54-yard catch-and-run early in the fourth quarter to make it 29-10. Jacoby Jones responded with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but Roethlisberger then hit the 6-foot-4 Bryant for an 18-yard strike and capped another remarkable night with a 33-yard score to Spaeth with 1:51 remaining.I guess once you get in the groove it is what it is, Suggs said. He made some lays. His receivers made some plays for him. He played a phenomenal game.NOTES: Steelers S Troy Polamalu left with a sprained left knee in the second quarter and did not return. ... Baltimore TE Owen Daniels had six receptions for 53 yards a week after having minor knee surgery. ... Pittsburgh plays at the New York Jets next week while the Ravens host Tennessee.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '