Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim-Boston Red Sox Regular Season Recaps

Oct 1, 2008 - 3:12 AM Overall Season Series - LAA, 8-1 Series at Anaheim - LAA, 3-0 Series at Boston - LAA, 5-1

DATE SITE WINNER ---- ---- ------ 04/22 BOS BOS, 7-6 04/23 BOS LAA, 6-4 04/24 BOS LAA, 7-5 07/18 LAA LAA, 11-3 07/19 LAA LAA, 4-2 07/20 LAA LAA, 5-3 07/28 BOS LAA, 7-5 07/29 BOS LAA, 6-2 07/30 BOS LAA, 9-2

BOSTON 7, LA ANGELS 6 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia provided quite the pick-me-up for the Boston Red Sox.

Ellsbury, looking to solidify himself as the everyday center fielder, homered twice and scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on Pedroia's fourth hit of the night to lead the shorthanded Red Sox past the Los Angeles Angels, 7-6, on Tuesday night at Fenway Park.

Ellsbury and Pedroia combined to go 7-for-10 at the top of the order for the Red Sox, who overcame a four-run deficit to win their sixth straight.

The 24-year-old Ellsbury laid down a perfectly placed bunt on the first base side off Darren Oliver (1-1) with one out in the eighth and scored on Pedroia's third double of the game - off Scot Shields - for the go-ahead run.

Shields was brought in to face Pedroia, looking for an inning-ending, double-play ground ball.

Mike Timlin (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth for the win and Jonathan Papelbon threw every pitch over 95 miles per hour in a perfect ninth, striking out two for his eighth save.

The Angels were paced by Jeff Mathis with a homer and three RBI and Erick Aybar with a career-high three doubles and a run scored.

The Red Sox were playing the game with just one healthy catcher, Kevin Cash, as Jason Varitek was unavailable for the third straight game with flu-like symptoms.

And earlier in the afternoon, ace Josh Beckett was scratched due to neck stiffness, forcing the Red Sox to turn to emergency starter David Pauley, who was called up from Class AAA Pawtucket.

The righthander was staked to an early 1-0 lead when Ellsbury connected for his first career leadoff homer in the opening frame, a line drive that just cleared the short wall in right off Angels starter Jered Weaver.

But after retiring the first six batters, Pauley immediately got into trouble in the third. Doubles by Maicer Izturis and Aybar were sandwiched around an RBI single by Mathis to tie the game at 1-1.

After a walk to Figgins loaded the bases with none out, Pauley got Gary Matthews, Jr. and Vladimir Guerrero to pop out, but a two-out single to center by Garret Anderson plated two runs and put the Angels up, 3-1.

Los Angeles made it 5-1 on Mathis' long homer over the "Green Monster" seats in the fourth.

The Red Sox got a run in the fourth before Kevin Youkilis' two-run homer capped a three-run fifth to tie the game at 5-5.

Ellsbury gave Boston the lead by drilling a 1-2 pitch from reliever Darren O'Day for his second homer of the game with two outs in the sixth.

Casey Kotchman's leadoff homer against Hideki Okajima in the eighth tied the game again, 6-6.

LA ANGELS 6, BOSTON 4 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Injuries and illness finally caught up to the Boston Red Sox.

Gary Matthews Jr. homered twice, including career No. 100, and Casey Kotchman delivered the go-ahead run with a solo homer as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Red Sox, 6-4, on Wednesday night at Fenway Park.

The loss snapped Boston's six-game winning streak.

One night after Josh Beckett had to miss his start with a stiff neck, Daisuke Matsuzaka was the second Red Sox starter to be scratched in as many nights.

Thursday's scheduled starter, Jon Lester, was moved up one game as an emergency starter. Jason Varitek (flu), Kevin Youkilis (back) and Manny Delcarmen (sick) also were unavailable for the game.

Lester was tagged for one run and two hits in each of the first three innings as the Angels jumped out to a 3-1 lead. Matthews opened up his big night with a solo shot off Lester in the first, cracking a 1-1 pitch well over the "Green Monster" and out of the park.

The Red Sox scored single runs in the second and the third on an RBI single by Julio Lugo and Dustin Pedroia's sacrifice fly, cutting the lead to 3-2.

But Lester yielded another run in the fifth when Matthews connected for his second solo homer of the night and fourth of the season, putting Los Angeles up, 4-2.

Lester allowed nine hits and four runs over five innings, walking two and striking out one.

David Ortiz quickly pulled Boston even, lining the first pitch he saw from Jon Garland in the fifth into the first row of grandstand seats with Pedroia aboard to knot the game at 4-4.

Garland (3-2) recovered to pitch a scoreless sixth before giving way to the Angels bullpen. The righthander allowed eight hits and four runs over six innings, walking two and striking out one.

Craig Hansen (0-1), called up from Class AAA Pawtucket earlier in the day to deepen a pitching staff ravaged by a flu-like bug running through the clubhouse, started impressively by quickly retiring the first two batters of the sixth.

But Kotchman connected for a long home run into the Red Sox bullpen in right-center.

The first baseman's second homer in as many nights put the Angels up, 5-4.

Hansen was optioned back to Pawtucket following the game to make room for Justin Masterson, who will make his major league debut Thursday afternoon, filling the slot originally held by Lester.

Justin Speier pitched a scoreless seventh and Scot Shields worked out of a first-and-second jam in the eighth when Jed Lowrie hit into an inning-ending, 4-6-3 double play.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched a scoreless ninth for his eighth save.

LA ANGELS 7, BOSTON 5 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox bullpen blew a strong performance by Justin Masterson in his major league debut.

Gary Matthews Jr. had three hits and singled home two runs to cap a four-run, seventh-inning rally as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim beat the Red Sox, 7-5, at Fenway Park on Thursday.

Mike Napoli homered and scored twice and Erick Aybar also scored two runs as the Angels took the rubber match of a three-game set. The Red Sox ended their homestand with a 5-2 mark.

Masterson, called up from Class AA Portland to help the flu-infected Red Sox pitching staff, was in control through the first six innings.

Masterson allowed just two hits and one run with four walks and four strikeouts as the Red Sox had a 3-1 lead entering the seventh.

Masterson was optioned back to Portland following the game. Reliever Bryan Corey will have his contract purchased from Class AAA Pawtucket prior to Friday's game at Tampa Bay.

But the Angels rallied off three Red Sox relievers in the inning to take control of the game.

Neither Javier Lopez nor Manny Delcarmen could retire a batter in the seventh, as the Angels sent 10 batters to the plate, scoring four times to claim a 5-3 lead.

Matthews capped the outburst with a go-ahead two-run single to center off Hideki Okajima.

Lopez and Delcarmen (0-1) both allowed a hit and a walk while facing just two batters each. The three Red Sox relievers combined to throw 52 pitches in the inning.

Matthews added an RBI double in the eighth and Maicer Izturis had a sacrifice fly in the ninth, which gave Anaheim a 7-3 bulge.

Scot Shields allowed a two-out, two-run homer to David Ortiz in the ninth but Francisco Rodriguez retired Manny Ramirez for the final out and his ninth save in 10 chances.

Angels starter Joe Saunders (4-0) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings, walking three and striking out three.

Coco Crisp had an RBI groundout in the second and then had an RBI double in the fourth, playing in his first game since April 15 for the Red Sox.

Kevin Cash also had an RBI double in the fourth for Boston, which had a 3-0 lead after four innings.

LA ANGELS 11, BOSTON 3 ----------------------

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Garret Anderson homered and drove in five runs to pace a 14-hit attack as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim opened their second half by pounding the Boston Red Sox, 11-3, on Friday.

Anderson singled in a run during a three-run first inning and snapped a 3-3 tie with a solo blast in the fourth. He added RBI singles in both the fifth and sixth as Anaheim scored eight unanswered runs.

Anderson finished 4-for-4, giving him his first four-hit game since August 29, 2007, at Seattle.

Casey Kotchman, Maicer Izturis and Vladimir Guerrero had two hits apiece for the Angels, who have won three straight and four of five.

Lackey (7-2) tossed seven solid innings, allowing three runs and four hits while walking two and striking out six. The veteran righthander entered the outing 1-6 with a 6.27 ERA in 11 career starts against the Red Sox.

The Angels jumped on rookie Clay Buchholz in the first as Kotchman and Izturis slapped back-to-back doubles to open the scoring. Buchholz (2-5) then allowed an RBI single to Guerrero before walking Torii Hunter and surrendering Anderson's first RBI single.

Boston battled back to tie the game on a two-run homer by Kevin Youkilis in the second and a solo blast by Manny Ramirez in the third.

Anderson's solo homer put the Angels back on top.

An error by Red Sox shortstop Alex Cora opened the floodgates in the fifth, leading to four unearned runs and ending Buchholz's night. The 23-year-old was charged with eight runs - four earned - and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

The setback dropped Boston's road record to 21-30.

LA ANGELS 4, BOSTON 2 ---------------------

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- It took Erick Aybar just one at-bat to turn the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim's fortunes on Saturday.

Aybar came on as a pinch hitter with the bases loaded in the seventh inning and laced a triple into the right field corner to lead the Angels to a 4-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

Chone Figgins had two hits and stole a base for Anaheim, which has won four games in a row.

After failing to score against Josh Beckett (9-6) in the first six innings, the Angels got to the ace righthander in the seventh. Vladimir Guerrero cut the deficit to 2-1 with a solo blast to lead off the frame, and Torii Hunter and Garret

Anderson followed with singles before being sacrificed along by pinch hitter Reggie Willits.

Following an intentional walk to Howie Kendrick, Aybar took Jeff Mathis' place at the plate and sent a 1-0 pitch past diving first baseman Kevin Youkilis to clear the bases and cap the four-run frame.

All-Star lefthander Joe Saunders got the start for the Angels and allowed two runs in 6 2/3 frames before yielding to rookie righthander Jose Arredondo (4-0), who struck out All-Star Game MVP J.D. Drew with two on to end a threat.

Scot Shields tossed a scoreless eighth and Francisco Rodriguez worked around a hit and a walk in the ninth to notch his 39th save.

Beckett, who was making his first appearance at Angel Stadium since a four-hit shutout in the American League Division Series last season, allowed nine hits and four runs in eight innings while walking one and striking out six.

Youkilis provided the only offense for the Red Sox with a two-run blast in the second - his career-high 17th homer of the season.

LA ANGELS 5, BOSTON 3 ---------------------

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- It looked like the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were going to fall short of a three-game sweep before eventually throwing a knuckleball of their own to Tim Wakefield and the Boston Red Sox.

Casey Kotchman smacked a two-run double and capped a three-run eighth inning to help the Angels rally past the Red Sox, 5-3, on Sunday.

Protecting a 3-2 lead, Wakefield allowed a leadoff extra-base hit to Juan Rivera before Howie Kendrick laced an RBI double to tie the game. Chone Figgins then worked a walk and Kotchman delivered the go-ahead hit against reliever Manny Delcarmen.

Wakefield (6-7) threw seven innings and was tagged for four runs and six hits in the loss.

Rodriguez notched his major league-leading 40th save by throwing a perfect ninth.

An error by Angels right fielder Vladimir Guerrero in the eighth allowed Coco Crisp to score, snapping a 2-2 tie and setting up Anaheim's comeback.

Manny Ramirez smacked an RBI double and Mike Lowell had a run-scoring single against Angels starter Jon Garland before Jacoby Ellsbury reached on Guerrero's blunder.

Garland didn't factor in the decision but surrendered three runs - two earned - and six hits in 6 1/3 frames.

Guerrero and Torii Hunter led off the second with back-to-back homers, but Wakefield cruised until the crucial eighth.

Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-4 for Boston, raising his batting average to .322.

LA ANGELS 7, BOSTON 5 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim used an unconventional weapon to beat the Boston Red Sox on Monday night at Fenway Park.

Casey Kotchman belted a two-run homer and Torii Hunter connected for a three-run shot in a six-run sixth inning as the Angels beat the Red Sox, 7-5, in the opener of a three-game series.

Jered Weaver (9-8) allowed three runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings to earn the win for the Angels, who entered the contest ranked 21st in baseball with just 96 home runs.

Anaheim has won six of seven meetings from the team that beat it in the 2004 and 2007 American League Division Series.

The Red Sox have the second best home mark in the league at 40-16, but have lost three of their last four games here. Nevertheless, Scioscia knows it is not easy to win at Fenway Park.

Jose Arredondo allowed two hits over 1 1/3 innings and Scot Shields allowed an RBI single to Jacoby Ellsbury in the eighth before giving way to All-Star closer Francisco Rodriguez. Rodriguez allowed a two-out solo home run to Manny Ramirez, but nailed down his 44th save in 47 chances. Rodriguez is 13 shy of tying Bobby Thigpen's record of 57 saves set in 1990.

The Angels roughed up Matsuzaka (11-2) for seven hits and six runs over five-plus innings, ending his three-game personal winning streak.

After retiring the side in order in the first, Matsuzaka immediately ran into trouble in the second. Vladimir Guerrero and Hunter opened with singles and a one-out walk to Howie Kendrick loaded the bases.

Juan Rivera lifted a fading fly ball toward the right-field line. J.D. Drew made a running grab near the line. but Guerrero scored to put the Angels up, 1-0. The Red Sox grabbed their only lead when Ramirez singled home Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz in the fourth as the first three batters of the inning reached against Weaver. However, the righthander escaped without further damage.

Meanwhile, Matsuzaka seemed to be settling into a groove. The Japanese righthander retired eight in a row before the wheels came off in the sixth. Chone Figgins walked and Kotchman matched a career high with his 12th homer, a two-run shot to Red Sox's bullpen in right field. The blast put the Angels ahead, 3-2.

Maicer Izturis and Guerrero followed with a single and double, respectively, before Hunter launched a towering drive over the "Green Monster" in left-center for his 16th of the season and a 6-2 lead.

Anaheim sent 10 batters to the plate in the six-run sixth, which was capped off by a suicide squeeze bunt by Jeff Mathis that scored Kendrick.

The Red Sox knocked Weaver out of the game in the bottom of the inning, scoring once on an RBI double by rookie Jed Lowrie. But Arredondo escaped a bases-loaded jam by striking out Ellsbury.

LA ANGELS 6, BOSTON 2 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- It's hard to imagine a day going any better than Tuesday did for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Hours after they bolstered their lineup by trading for slugger Mark Teixeira, the surging Angels saw ace John Lackey take a no-hitter into the ninth inning before settling for a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

Lackey (9-2), who entered 1-4 with a 7.46 ERA in his career at Fenway Park, saw his bid for the franchise's first official no-hitter since Mark Langston and Mike Witt combined for one on April 11, 1990, end when Dustin Pedroia grounded a single into left field with one out in the ninth.

Kevin Youkilis followed with a two-run homer to spoil the shutout, but Lackey was able to finish his second complete game of the year.

And they've been winning plenty of late. The Angels have taken 11 of 13 overall and seven straight against the defending World Series champs, who knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs in the first round last season.

With Lackey back on track and Teixeira in the fold, the Angels appear primed for a longer run in 2008. But they're not getting ahead of themselves.

The 28-year-old Teixeira, who had 20 home runs and 78 RBI for Atlanta, was acquired in exchange for first baseman Casey Kotchman and a minor leaguer about an hour before Lackey's masterpiece began. He was not with the Angels for the game, missing a dominant first eight innings by Lackey.

The 29-year-old righthander hit one batter and walked another before the ninth, but neither advanced past first base. He recorded his fourth and final strikeout to start the ninth when he got rookie Jacoby Ellsbury swinging.

After seeing his staff leader struggle by giving up 20 runs in 23 2/3 innings this month, Scioscia was pleased with a return to form.

Fourteen outs were recorded in the air by Lackey, including a drive off the bat of David Ortiz to start the seventh that right fielder Vladimir Guerrero tracked down on the warning track.

Pedroia's single got past the dive of shortstop Maicer Izturis. Youkilis followed two pitches later with his 18th homer over the "Green Monster" in left field, giving the home fans life.

The Red Sox (61-47) lost for the fourth time in five games - all at home - and fell two games behind the Tampa Bay Rays (62-44) in the American League East Division.

An error, three singles and a walk helped the Angels take a 2-0 lead in the third. Red Sox rookie starter Clay Buchholz walked Izturis with the bases loaded for the second run.

Torii Hunter led off the fourth with a single and Garret Anderson followed with a two-run blast to right for his 10th, giving Lackey plenty of support.

Buchholz (2-6) continued to struggle since his recall from the minors earlier this month. He gave up all six runs - five earned - and six hits over 6 1/3 innings, fanning five and walking three. The 23-year-old is winless in his last six starts, but may have gleaned a lesson or two from his counterpart.

Buchholz threw a no-hitter last September in his second career start for Boston.

LA ANGELS 9, BOSTON 2 ---------------------

BOSTON (Ticker) -- Garret Anderson stole the show from Mark Teixeira.

Anderson had four hits, including a key two-run homer, as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim cruised to a 9-2 victory over Josh Beckett and the Boston Red Sox to complete a three-game sweep at Fenway Park.

Playing in his first game since being acquired in a trade from Atlanta, Teixeira went hitless in four at-bats, reaching base twice on an error and a walk.

Boston, meanwhile, played like a team distracted by the rumors swirling around a team about a three-way trade that would send Manny Ramirez to the Florida Marlins as the team committed a season-high four errors for the second time this season.

The Red Sox did not have comment on a Palm Beach Post report that the deal was tentatively reached Wednesday night that would send Jason Bay and John Grabow from Pittsburgh to Boston while the Pirates would receive prospects from the Marlins.

Joe Saunders (14-5) allowed five hits and two runs over six innings, walking three while striking out two.

The Angels scored three times in the third before the Red Sox cut the lead to one on Coco Crisp's sixth homer of the season - a two-run shot to deep left-center off Saunders in the fifth.

But the Angels responded with five runs in the sixth to salt away the sweep. The Red Sox committed three errors in the inning while Anderson connected for his 11th homer - a two-run homer down the right field line off Beckett.

Anderson is now riding a seven-game hitting streak, going 11-for-26 (.423) in that stretch to raise his average to .278.

Beckett (9-8) yielded 11 hits and a season-high eight runs - seven earned - over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out eight and allowed one home run.

Torii Hunter added a solo homer in the ninth to close out the scoring.