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Red Sox hope to solve red-hot Haren

Apr 22, 2011 - 2:58 PM (Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox try to string back-to-back road wins together for the first time this season when they continue their four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Angel Stadium.

The Red Sox, though, will have their work cut out for them, as they go against Dan Haren, who will be trying to continue the best start of his career. Haren followed up a one-hit shutout and improved to 4-0 on Sunday in Chicago, as he held the White Sox to a pair of runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Haren, who is just 2-5 lifetime against the Red Sox, has allowed four runs in 31 innings this season and leads the American League among qualified starters with a 1.16 earned run average.

"So far, I've done a good job of keeping the defense in the game, minimizing walks and working ahead in the count. That's my game, it's nothing fancy," Haren said of the keys to his early-season success.

The Red Sox will be throwing an impressive hurler of their own tonight in lefty Jon Lester, who is 1-1 with a 3.20 ERA in four starts this season. Lester picked up his first win of the year on Sunday against Toronto, as he held the Blue Jays to a run and six hits in six innings.

"I battled a few things out there with myself, almost feeling a little too good at times and then going back to not feeling so good," Lester said. "A little bit of a grind, but it was a good win."

Lester is 2-1 in five starts versus the Angels with a 5.86 ERA.

Boston needed extra innings to get its first road win in eight chances on Thursday, as Adrian Gonzalez sparked a two-run 11th with an RBI double, helping the Red Sox to a 4-2 win. Jacoby Ellsbury drove in two runs for Boston, which has won two in a row and five of six overall.

Josh Beckett, who took a no-hitter into the sixth, gave up two runs on three hits over eight innings. Bobby Jenks (1-1) tossed a scoreless 10th to pick up his first win in a Boston uniform.

"Josh pitched like he was supposed to," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "He was in command of his pitches."

Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles, which had won two straight. Tyler Chatwood allowed two runs on six hits over a six-inning start.

Rich Thompson (0-1), who tossed a perfect 10th, stayed on to pitch the 11th for Los Angeles.

The Angels have dropped 10 of their 11 meetings with the Red Sox last season and have lost 12 of the previous 14 regular season matchups.