Red Sox starter Jon Lester had the stuff to make history on Saturday, retiring the first 16 Mariners hitters he faced, 10 of them by way of the strikeout. But his bid for perfection was ended with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, when a line drive to left-center by Seattle shortstop Jack Wilson clanged off the glove of center fielder Eric Patterson for an error. Wilson reached second, and against the next batter, Lester — pitching out of the stretch for the first time of the game — hung a curveball to Michael Saunders, who crushed it into the right field stands for a two-run home run.

That was the only offense that the Mariners mustered against Lester on Saturday. But it proved enough against a Sox team that could produce no offense of its own en route to a startling 2-1 loss.

WHAT WENT WRONG FOR THE RED SOX

–Eric Patterson was making his second start in center field for the Red Sox when the ball found him at a most inopportune time. Wilson’s liner to left-center proved to be the first error that Patterson has ever made in the big leagues as a center fielder. It is impossible to know whether Lester would have stumbled in his bid for perfection in the absence of Patterson’s misplay, but certainly, both Patterson and Lester wish they would have had the opportunity to find out.

–The Sox failed to take advantage of the few opportunities that they had. Most notably, Jeremy Hermida — in his first start since June 9 — struck out with runners on second and third and one out in the top of the second inning. Jed Lowrie twice flied out to right with two on and two out. The team was held hitless over the last 3 1/3 innings by the Mariners bullpen.

–Jon Lester through the first 16 batters of the game: 5 1/3 innings, no baserunners, 10 strikeouts. Lester after Patterson’s error: 2 1/3 innings, four hits, walk, five runs.

–Manny Delcarmen turned in his second straight poor relief outing. He entered the game with two outs and runners on second and third in the bottom of the eighth. He promptly forced in an inherited run without even making the Mariners put a ball in play, walking the first batter he faced and then hitting Jose Lopez to force in a run. He nearly gave up a grand slam to the next batter he faced, Justin Smoak, but the drive died on the warning track.

WHAT WENT RIGHT FOR THE RED SOX

–Lester set a career high with 13 strikeouts, the most by a Red Sox left-hander since Bruce Hurst punched out 14 on May 5, 1987. He showed one of his best changeups of the year, and had a full complement of swing-and-miss secondary offerings.

–David Ortiz hit his first homer of the second half, smashing an 89 mph fastball from Pauley into the stands in right-center for his 19th roundtripper of the season.

–Mike Lowell went 4-for-4 in his rehab game with Triple-A Pawtucket. For details on that game, click here.

–A Red Sox team that is desperate for offense received positive news about two players. Both Jacoby Ellsbury and Victor Martinez are nearing game-readiness, with Martinez likely to be activated (barring a setback) in Anaheim, and Ellsbury set to start a rehab stint with the Rookie Level Gulf Coast League Red Sox on Monday.

Victor Martinez may and on the 15-day disabled list due to his fractured left thumb tip.

The Red Sox offered an update regarding the medical exams of injured players Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez and Clay Buchholz. The short-hand:

–Pedroia won’t need surgery or the placement of a pin on his non-displaced navicular fracture in his left foot. As WEEI.com reported, he is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks.

–Martinez has what the Sox describe as a “minimally displaced fracture on the tip of his left thumb.” He won’t need surgery, but while the Sox won’t place him on the disabled list on Monday, they have also not ruled out a DL stint.

–Buchholz was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain (a modification of the hyperextended knee with which he was diagnosed on Saturday). The Sox don’t plan to place him on the DL. He’s not scheduled to pitch this week.

Here is the full press release with details of those exams, as well as roster moves involving Eric Patterson, Fabio Castro and Boof Bonser.

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After undergoing an MRI earlier today, Clay Buchholz has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. He is not scheduled to start this week at Fenway Park, but there are no plans to place him on the disabled list. Buchholz suffered the injury running the bases in the top of the second inning during his start on Saturday in San Francisco.

Dustin Pedroia was examined by Red Sox Medical Director Dr. Thomas Gill who confirmed that he has a non-displaced fracture of the medial navicular bone in his left foot. Pedroia was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Saturday after suffering the injury Friday night in San Francisco when he fouled a ball off his left foot in the top of the third inning. He is not expected to require surgery. The usual timetable for this injury is approximately six weeks to return to play.

Victor Martinez also underwent further examination which revealed a minimally displaced fracture on the tip of his left thumb. He is also not expected to require surgery. Martinez left yesterday’s game in San Francisco after the third inning due to the injury which was sustained after having two foul balls hit off his thumb while he was behind the plate. There will be no roster move today regarding Martinez.

ROSTER MOVE: The Boston Red Sox today added infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson to the active Major League roster and designated left-handed pitcher Fabio Castro for assignment. Patterson, who was acquired from Oakland on Saturday (June 26) in exchange for minor league left-handed pitcher Fabian Williamson, will be available for tomorrow night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park, wearing No. 3. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Patterson has appeared in 45 games for the A’s this season, batting .204 (21-for-103) with five doubles, two triples, four home runs, nine RBI, 13 runs and six stolen bases. He’s played in 25 games (22 starts) in left field, seven (two starts) in center field and five (one start) at second base, committing just one error overall for a .985 combined fielding percentage at the three positions.

Castro was recalled Friday (June 25) for his second stint with the Red Sox this season, but has not appeared in a game with the club in 2010. The left-hander has made 17 appearances (five starts) for Triple-A Pawtucket this year, going 3-5 with a 6.65 ERA (32 ER/43.1 IP), 36 strikeouts and 22 walks.

BONSER CLEARS WAIVERS: Right-handed pitcher Boof Bonser today cleared outright waivers and has chosen to become a free agent. Bonser was designated for assignment on June 18. He did not record a decision while posting an 18.00 ERA (4 ER/2.0 IP) over two relief appearances with the Red Sox in 2010.

The Red Sox acquired Eric Patterson, a second baseman and outfielder, from the Athletics on Saturday. (AP)

In an effort to bolster the organization’s second base depth, the Red Sox struck a deal with Oakland for second baseman/outfielder Eric Patterson, acquiring the 27-year-old in exchange for minor league pitcher Fabian Williamson.

Patterson is hitting .204 with a .255 OBP, .408 slugging mark and .662 OPS in 45 games with four homers and six steals for the A’s this year. He has a career line of .224/.301/.340/.641. In parts of four big league seasons, he has played 32 of his 134 games at second base, the position where the Sox are seeking reinforcements after Dustin Pedroia landed on the disabled list.

Patterson, an eighth-round selection of the Cubs in 2004, has a solid minor league resume, having hit .303/.368/.478/.846 with 59 homers and 175 steals in his five minor league seasons. He spent most of his time in the minors at second base, playing 446 of his 572 minor league games there.

Williamson was acquired by the Sox prior to the start of the 2010 season from the Mariners in exchange for reliever David Aardsma, who has since become the Seattle closer. Williamson, 21, turned in a tremendous performance last year for Single-A Greenville, going 10-5 with a 2.42 ERA. With Hi-A Salem this year, the left-hander was 4-3 with a 3.72 ERA.

Here is the complete press release from the Red Sox:

The Boston Red Sox today acquired infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for left-handed pitcher Fabian Williamson. Patterson is expected to join the team tomorrow in San Francisco. With the move, the Red Sox 40-man roster is now at 40.

The announcement was made by Executive Vice President/General Manager Theo Epstein.

Patterson, 27, has appeared in 45 games for the A’s this season, batting .204 (21-for-103) with five doubles, two triples, four home runs, nine RBI, 13 runs and six stolen bases. He’s appeared in 25 games (22 starts) in left field, seven (two starts) in center field and five (one start) at second base, committing just one error overall for a .985 combined fielding percentage at the three positions.

Selected by the Chicago Cubs in the eighth round of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft, Patterson has hit .224 (75-for-335) with 15 doubles, three triples, six home runs, 35 RBI, 44 runs and 22 stolen bases in 134 Major League games over parts of four seasons with the Cubs (2007-08) and A’s (2008-10). He is the younger brother of Baltimore Orioles outfielder Corey Patterson.

Williamson, 21, has compiled a 4-3 record with a 3.72 ERA (27 ER/65.1 IP), 40 strikeouts and 34 walks allowed in 14 starts this season with Single-A Salem. The left-hander has held opponents to a .242 (58-for-240) batting average in 2010, the fourth-best mark in the Carolina League. Acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for right-handed pitcher David Aardsma on January 20, 2009, Williamson is 24-13 with a 3.17 ERA (105 ER/297.2 IP) and 288 strikeouts compared to 141 walks in 68 career appearances (50 starts) over four minor league seasons between the two organizations.