• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Lester, Red Sox top Angels

Apr 23, 2011 - 6:19 AM Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - J.D. Drew finished with two hits and an RBI, while Jon Lester outdueled Dan Haren as Boston topped Los Angeles, 4-3, in the second installment of a four-game series.

Lester (2-1) turned in six scoreless innings where he allowed four hits and fanned eight with a pair of walks. Jonathan Papelbon recorded a scoreless ninth to post his fifth save.

"I felt all right early on, I had good fastball command," Lester said. "They hit a lot of foul balls and I had to grind it out."

Jacoby Ellsbury also drove in a run while Jed Lowrie scored twice for the Red Sox, who have won the first two in the set and six of seven overall.

"They made Jon work hard, but he had enough stuff to get people out," Boston manager Terry Francona said.

Bobby Abreu and Jeff Mathis knocked in a run each for the Angels, who have dropped three of five.

Haren (4-1) was trying to become the Halos' second five-game winner, along with teammate Jered Weaver. He took the loss after giving up five hits and four runs -- two earned -- with six strikeouts and three walks over six full frames.

"I felt pretty good, but walks hurt me and a couple of balls found holes," Haren said. "I don't want to lose, but I wasn't planning on going 34-0."

Down 4-0, the Angels got back into the game with two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth.

In the former, Matt Albers served up a two-out infield single to Erick Aybar. The fleet infielder stole second then came home on Mathis' single to center.

Bobby Jenks began the latter by allowing a leadoff double to Howie Kendrick, and an RBI single from Abreu. His wild pitch allowed Abreu to get to third and after a Vernon Wells fly out, Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia let a Jenks offering hit the backstop and Abreu crossed the plate.

Papelbon was able to work around a one-out single in the ninth to lock up the win.

Saltalamacchia hit a one-out double in the third, advanced on a fly out and scored on Ellsbury's double.

Angels centerfielder Peter Bourjos misplayed a Carl Crawford ball with runners on second and third in the fourth, and both men raced home to make it 3-0 Boston.

Lowrie started the sixth with a double and moved to third when Wells mishandled the hit. He came home when Drew followed with a base hit to center.

Game Notes

Boston has won 11 of its last 12 meetings with the Angels...Lester improved to 3-1 against the Angels in six starts...Haren fell to 2-6 against the Red Sox.