ANAHEIM – Cloning the image appeared to be next to impossible.

Duplicating the likeness of the post-season Josh Beckett just never seemed an option. Few could explain it, but most accepted it nonetheless – when it came to the playoffs, there was Beckett and then everybody else.

Then along came Jon Lester.

“I told him, don’t try and do anything different,” explained Beckett following the Red Sox’ 4-1 win over the Angels in Game 1 of the American League Division Series, at Angel Stadium. “Just do what you’ve been doing all year.”

Lester took his teammate’s advice. Not only did he saddle up the success of his 16-win season and ride it into the post-season. Lester molded the outing. It just so happened that when the sculpting was complete, and the lefty had walked off the mound a proud owner of a seven-inning, one-run, seven-strikeout stint, the hurler had more than just his own identity.

Like it or not, (and, just for the record, the Red Sox did like it … a lot) he had become Beckett.

“He used to be Mr. Nice Guy, but now he goes out and bows his chest out there with a lot of confidence,” the Red Sox’ injured ace said of Lester. “That’s him. He’s nobody else.”

That may be true. He is a lefty, Beckett throws from the right side. Lester is 24 years of age, while Beckett is four years older. The southpaw can get his heater up to the mid-90s, but his flame-throwing counterpart usually takes it a few ticks closer to the century mark.

But Wednesday night, at the moment the Red Sox needed that Beckett persona the most, a pretty good facsimile showed up in the form of Lester.

“Their personalities are kind of the same,” said Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia. “They both have tough attitudes. They come across as big, tough guys, and the perception is true. They are.”

This performance, one which helped the Red Sox come to grips with Beckett’s sore right oblique muscle and an uncertain post-season future, was about as close to the standard set a year ago as you are going to find in such a situation.

Sure, Beckett did go the full nine innings while not allowing a run, or walk, while fanning eight in shutting down the Angels during last season’s ALDS opener. But, even with the 117 pitches only taking Lester through seven frames, there were key similarities.

Perhaps the defining moment occurred in the home half of the sixth inning, just moments after the Red Sox had found a way to avoid spoiling Lester's fine encore to his Game 4 win in last year’s World Series.

With the crowd doing their Rally Monkey/Thundersticks/Red O’ Plenty act with plenty of gusto following what was ultimately designated as Jason Bay’s game-winning, two-run home run, Lester ventured off toward 100 pitches while facing down a perturbed Angels lineup.

WWJBD: What Would Josh Beckett Do?

Lester clearly knew the answer. He became just the 10th pitcher in Red Sox post-season history to strike out the side. And then, once across the triple-digit pitch count barrier, the lefty came out for the seventh and sat the Angels down in order once again.

“He came with vengeance,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. “Once we took the lead, he really went after ‘em.”

That was the moment. Anyone who had cautiously dipped a toe into the pool of opinion suggesting that Lester had the tools to become a Beckett-esque not-so-secret post-season weapon could now jump in head-first.

Sure, they sometimes carry themselves in the same regimented manner, and neither gives off the impression of having any use for much other than getting ready for their next start and then executing in said appearance.

But it wasn’t until Wednesday night, when Lester walked off the mound as the pitcher nobody now expects to be beat, that the whispered comparisons to Beckett were starting to be bellowed from the rooftops.

Red Sox fans hoped this would be the case, but did so with the understanding that claiming  a carbon copy of the baseball-throwing edition of Mr. October wasn’t likely. How one night in Orange County will change everything …

“He pitched like an ace,” said Red Sox infielder Alex Cora of Lester. “That’s why we had no doubt. We could see the confidence in our team. He’s just gotten better, and better, and better.”