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Beckett aims to continue mastery of Angels

Apr 22, 2008 - 12:38 PM LA Angels (12-8) at Boston (14-7) 7:05 pm EDT

BOSTON (Ticker) - For the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, there is rarely a time or a place they fare well against Josh Beckett.

Beckett aims to extend his mastery of the Angels when his Boston Red Sox open a three-game set on Tuesday. The Red Sox come in riding a five-game win streak and have won nine of 10 overall.

Boston used a spectacular performance from Beckett (2-1, 5.12 ERA) last season in Game One of the American League Divisional Series - allowing four hits and striking out eight - in a 4-0 victory over Anaheim that led to a series sweep.

For the Angels, it was just the latest such performance from the All-Star righthander against them. Including last season's postseason start, Beckett is 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in five appearances against the Angels, striking out 30.

Beckett, who started the season on the disabled list with a sore back, got off to a slow start in his season debut against Toronto but has turned in back-to-back strong performances in consecutive wins over the New York Yankees - the last of which sparked the team's current five-game winning streak.

In his last turn on Thursday, he yielded three runs and six hits with a walk and five strikeouts over eight frames in a 7-5 win.

Hoping to get the Angels their first win against Beckett will be Jered Weaver (1-3, 3.60), who will be looking to beat the Red Sox for the first time as well as snap a personal two-game skid.

Weaver, who took the loss in the final game of the 2007 ALDS, allowed three runs - two earned - and 10 hits over six innings in a 3-2 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday.