• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Red Sox hope to avoid sweep against Angels

Jul 20, 2008 - 3:09 PM Boston (57-42) at LA Angels (59-38), 6:05 p.m. EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox hope to avoid a sweep and end their road woes Sunday when they visit the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the finale of a three-game series.

The Red Sox have proven to be nearly unbeatable at Fenway Park this season, posting a major league-best 36-11 record while batting .297 as a team.

But the road has not been as kind, with Saturday's 4-2 loss dropping Boston to 21-31 away from Fenway. Boston's team batting average dropped to .268 on the road.

The Red Sox were in position to win Saturday, carrying a 2-0 lead into the seventh with ace Josh Beckett on the mound. But Vladimir Guerrero led off the seventh with a solo homer and pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded triple to put the Angels on top, 4-2.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Anaheim, which took the series opener, 11-3, on Friday.

Boston will try to snap its four-game road losing streak Sunday behind knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (6-6, 3.60 ERA). The veteran righthander has been one of the best pitchers in the American League over the past two months, going 3-3 with a 2.13 ERA while holding opponents to a .176 batting average over his last nine starts.

Anaheim counters with righthander Jon Garland (8-6, 4.20), who had his turn in the rotation pushed back a day due to neck stiffness. Garland has not pitched since allowing seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings to absorb a loss at Oakland on July 11.

Garland earned a win at Boston on April 23, allowing four runs in six innings as the Angels went on to a 6-4 victory.