• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Red Sox hope Beckett can solve Angels

Apr 12, 2009 - 3:09 AM By Matt Beardmore Stats Writer

Boston (2-3) at LA Angels (2-3), 3:35 p.m. EDT

ANAHEIM, California (AP) -- The Boston Red Sox finally snapped their nine-game regular-season slide to Los Angeles. Now, Josh Beckett will look for a better result than in his last three times facing the Angels.

Beckett takes the mound for Boston on Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium as the Red Sox look for their first series win there in three seasons.

The right-hander makes his second start of the season after Brad Penny won his Red Sox debut Saturday, 5-4 over the Angels.

Jason Bay hit two home runs, including a go-ahead two-run shot in the seventh, and Jonathan Papelbon picked up his second save after battling Howie Kendrick, who fouled off seven straight 0-2 pitches with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth.

"It was really intense. That was the ballgame," Papelbon said. "After the sixth or seventh one, I was kind of giggling out there, `Is this really happening?' It was one of those moments like, 'Man, how many more foul balls is this guy going to hit?'"

Kendrick finally flied out to right as Boston recorded its first regular-season victory over Los Angeles since a 7-6 win on April 22, 2008.

A victory Sunday would give the Red Sox (2-3) their first series win at Angel Stadium since Aug. 22-24, 2006, when they took two of three.

Beckett (1-0, 1.29 ERA) lifted Boston to a 5-3 season-opening win over Tampa Bay on Tuesday when he struck out 10 and allowed two hits and one run over seven innings.

"A healthy Beckett," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona, referring to the right-hander's side strain last season. "We've got a long way to go. But watching the way he's throwing is big. We want to lean on him."

Beckett, though, has been far less successful lately against the Angels.

Los Angeles tagged Beckett for nine hits and four runs over five innings in Game 3 of the 2008 divisional series en route to a 12-inning, 5-4 win on Oct. 5.

In the regular season, Beckett was a combined 0-2 with a 7.43 ERA against Los Angeles, giving up 20 hits and 12 runs in two starts.

The Angels (2-3), meanwhile, close out their season-opening homestand following an emotional week where rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart and two others were killed when their car was struck by a drunken driver following Los Angeles' 6-4 loss to Oakland on Wednesday.

"Today was kind of different. Last night, the ceremony, the moment of silence," Torii Hunter said following Saturday's loss. "Today we played baseball. I think we're where we need to be, although of course we'll never forget Nick. I think it brought us closer."

Right-hander Dustin Moseley (0-0, 4.50) gets his second start of the season after giving up three runs and nine hits in six innings in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Athletics.

Moseley will make his fourth career appearance, and second start, against Boston. He allowed 10 hits and six runs in 4 2-3 innings on Aug. 8, 2007, in his first start versus the Red Sox, a 9-6 loss at Fenway Park.

Mike Lowell hit his first homer of the season and drove in two runs in Saturday's win as Boston snapped a three-game skid. He is 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs lifetime against Moseley.

Angels catcher Mike Napoli improved his batting average to .667 (4-for-6) with Saturday's 3-for-3 effort with two homers. He has struck out twice in four career at-bats versus Beckett.