NEW YORK — Jon Lester was able to joke, so his right leg must have felt relatively good.

"Still attached, so we're going in the right direction," the Boston pitcher said.

Lester was knocked out of Friday night's 9-5 loss to the New York Yankees by a third-inning liner off the bat of Melky Cabrera. The ball hit near Lester's right knee, and he sustained only a bruised quadriceps. X-rays were negative.

"It seems like it's getting better. This morning it wasn't as tight as I thought it was going to be," he said Saturday. "Moving around pretty good — just seems stairs are bothering me a little bit right now."

Lester has been Boston's top pitcher in the second half. Before taking Friday's loss, he had been 6-0 with a 2.44 ERA in 11 starts from July 25 on.

He hopes not to miss a turn but could be pushed back, depending on how he feels.

"I think all things considered, he looks fantastic," manager Terry Francona said. "Our medical people did a good job jumping on it right away, icing it and steaming it and doing all that stuff. He's doing all right."