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. "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. Vans Old Skool Soldes . Its the second of three meetings between these teams this season. Vancouver was a 2-1 winner on home ice December 22nd. Old Skool France .com) - Marian Gaborik scored his sixth goal in the last four games to help the Los Angeles Kings top the Arizona Coyotes, 4-2, Saturday at Staples Center. http://www.pascheroldskool.fr/ . No such luck. Wiggins owned the end of Parkers impressive homecoming. The Kansas star scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, outplaying Parker down the stretch and helping the fifth-ranked Jayhawks knock off No. Old Skool Pas Cher . The right-hander said he threw about 30 pitches in a routine bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium, his final hurdle before starting Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. Vans Old Skool Pas Cher En Ligne . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend.NEW YORK, N.Y. - A 24-person relay of NBA luminaries running the New York City Marathon started with a referees whistle and ended with Dikembe Mutombo crossing the finish line in high-tops.Commissioner Adam Silver handled the first three miles, crossing the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge from Staten Island to Brooklyn. He passed a baton to Chris Mullin, the Brooklyn native who starred at St. Johns in Queens before a Hall of Fame NBA career.The groups total time was just over 4 hours, 48 minutes. The event was staged to try to encourage kids to exercise.Many people told me that I was going to walk after retiring five years ago, but Im glad I pushed myself, Mutombo said. Its great. After running on a basketball court for so long and so many years, its good to be outside there running.Each celebrity was joined on his or her one-mile leg by a local student who takes part in marathon organizer New York Road Runners youth programs.Mutombo eschewed running shoes for some more familiar gear.Ive been running all of my life with the high-top shoes, he said. So I really dont know that much what its like running with the low-cut shoes. So when I put these shoes on, its a great brand; its the Dikembe Mutombo brand.dddddddddddd So I was happy to run in them.Among the other participants were Bronx native and Hall of Famer Nate Tiny Archibald; Knicks greats Charles Oakley and Bernard King; former Nets Darryl Dawkins and Jason Collins; Brooklyn native Sam Perkins; and WNBA stars Swin Cash and Ruth Riley.Another member of the relay, former referee Bob Delaney, started Silver off with a tweet of his whistle. Delaney is now the leagues vice-president of referee operations.Silver is an avid runner who has twice completed the NYC Marathon, finishing in just under four hours in both 2002 and 2010. He competed in track and cross country —not basketball — in high school in Rye, New York, where he was a quarter- and half-miler.Plans for the relay began in the early spring. New York is home to this seasons NBA All-Star weekend, with events at the Nets Brooklyn arena and the game at Madison Square Garden.The league is seeking to reach a half-million youngsters in the five boroughs through fitness programs in conjunction with hosting the festivities. ' ' '