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Pedroia homer helps Red Sox avoid sweep

Aug 9, 2007 - 7:00 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- Dustin Pedroia clubbed the deciding blow in what became a battle of two stellar bullpens, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 9-6 come-from-behind victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday.

Mike Lowell and Manny Ramirez drove in two runs each for the Red Sox, who avoided a sweep and pushed their lead over the New York Yankees (63-51) to six games in the American League East.

A back-and-forth contest that matched the longest nine-inning game at Angels Stadium at 4 hours, 2 minutes, took its final twist when Pedroia's line drive just cleared the glove of Garret Anderson and landed in the bullpen over the left field wall for a solo homer, snapping a 6-6 tie.

"It definitely felt like this one was never going to end, but we got on the board late in the game and pulled this one out," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said.

Justin Speier (1-3) took the loss for the Angels as their normally stout bullpen allowed three runs.

"They have a good hitting team over there and our bullpen did an excellent job keeping them off the board in the first two games," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Pedroia, who remains one of the front-runners for the American League Rookie of the Year Award, had three hits and scored three runs, boosting his average to .326 - tops on the team and among AL rookies.

"I was just trying to get on base to get something going for us, but I got a pitch in my zone that I could handle and hit it hard," Pedroia said.

The Boston bullpen had to work overtime after starter Jon Lester was knocked out after just 3 1/3 innings.

"We lined this one up for Okajima, Gagne, and (Papelbon)," Francona said. "Our 'pen did great tonight."

The 23-year-old lefthander, who is making a comeback from lymphoma, allowed five runs and eight hits while walking three and striking out three in his worst outing since returning to the team on July 23.

"I did terrible," Lester said. "You name it, I didn't do it tonight. This one is easier to shake off since we won the game, but I just have to pitch better."

Five relievers picked up the slack, allowing just three hits and one run over the final 5 2/3 frames. The Red Sox bullpen came into Thursday's contest sporting a major league-best 2.82 bullpen ERA.

"We know that we have guys in the bullpen that can come in and get outs and tonight we did that," said Mike Timlin, who pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Hideki Okajima (3-0) pitched 1 1/3 perfect innings for the win. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save.

The Angels jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with a run in the first and two in the second.

"We got off to a good start, but we know that these guys can come back at anytime," Chone Figgins said.

Boston grabbed its first lead of the night when it got to rookie starter Dustin Moseley for four runs in the fourth inning on back-to-back-to-back doubles by Ramirez, J.D. Drew and Lowell.

"I felt good early on, but then my stuff just started to go," Moseley said.

Moseley was pulled in the fifth after allowing six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Anaheim wasted little time jumping back on top in the bottom of the frame, when Chone Figgins doubled in a pair of runs for a 5-4 lead. Figgins has been on a tear over the past two months, raising his average from .133 on May 30 to .340 after Thursday's game.

"I just feel really comfortable at the plate and hope to keep it going so I can help our team win ball games," Figgins said.

The Red Sox came back with two runs in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Youkilis and Lowell's RBI single.

The Angels came back to tie it in the bottom of the fifth on Gary Matthews Jr.'s groundout before Pedroia's homer snapped the deadlock for good in the seventh.

All-Star slugger David Ortiz sat out the series finale with a sore left shoulder.

"Obviously without a guy like Ortiz not in the lineup it hurts, but we know that we have enough guys that can pick up the slack," Francona said.