Coming into Tuesday night’s game, Angel Stadium of Anaheim hadn’t been very kind to the Boston Red Sox during the regular season as they had won just 2 of their last 9 games there. And with Jered Weaver dealing, it didn’t look like it was going to change. But then the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim bullpen took over and it was all downhill from there.
The Red Sox got two runs in the 8th to tie the game and Jason Varitek delivered the gamewinner in the top of the 9th driving in J.D. Drew to give them a 4-3 win in front of a crowd of 33,411 on Tuesday night.
It’s the second straight win for the Red Sox as they improve to 21-12 and stay one game behind the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the AL East. The Angels fall to 16-15 which puts them 1 ½ games behind the Texas Rangers for first.
After Weaver left the game after throwing 98 pitches through 7 innings and a 3-1 lead, Jose Arredondo took over and couldn’t get the job done.
He did start the inning by getting Varitek to pop out but Nick Green and Jacoby Ellsbury followed with a singles. Arredondo walked Julio Lugo to load the bases up for David Ortiz. Darren Oliver came in and hit Big Papi in the wrist to force in a run to make it 3-2. Scot Shields then replaced Oliver and gave up a fielder’s choice to Jason Bay that scored Ellsbury to tie the game at 3.
Ramon Ramirez was able to work around a JulE60 error in the bottom of the 8th to send the game to the 9th tied up.
Shields was still on the hill and gave up a leadoff single to Drews. Shields then hung one over the plate that Varitek hit into right center to score Drew for a 4-3 Red Sox lead. Jason Bulger took over and uncorked a wild pitch that moved Tek to third and eventually walked Green. He got out of trouble though as Ellsbury fouled out to third and Lugo grounded back to him.
Jonathan Papelbon came on for the 9th and made it a little interesting although not as much as he has in recent outings.
He got the first two outs of the inning before walking Bobby Abreu. With Torii Hunter at the plate, Abreu got himself into scoring position by stealing second but Papelbon responded by striking out Hunter to give the Red Sox the 4-3 win.
Justin Masterson started this one for the Red Sox and was ineffective early on as he issued 4 walks but settled down to give the Red Sox 6 innings. He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits and the 4 walks while striking out 3. Manny Delcarmen allowed an unearned run on a hit in one inning. Ramirez struck out 1 in the 8th to pick up his 4th win and second straight while Papelbon picked up his 9th save of the season.
Weaver was outstanding, too bad his bullpen stunk up the joint for him. He gave up 1 run on 4 hits and a walk while recording 4 strikeouts.
Ellsbury, Drew and Varitek all had 2 hits for the Red Sox with Drew (solo home run) and Varitek each driving in a run. Big Papi and Bay had the other RBIs for the visiting nine.
The Angels took advantage of Masterson’s wildness in the 1st inning.
After Chone Figgins grounded out, Macier Izturis singled. Masterson then walked Abreu and Hunter to load up the bases. Kendry Morales brought in Izturis with a sac fly to give the Halos a 1-0 lead.
The lead didn’t last long though as Weaver left a pitch out over the plate with 1 out in the 2nd to Drew who crushed it for a solo home run.
The bottom of the 4th inning started with Masterson issuing a walk to Howie Kendrick. Jeff Mathis followed with a single and Figgins moved them each up a base with a sacrifice bunt. Izturis followed with a sacrifice fly to Drew in right field to make it 2-1. Drew’s throw actually went to third base and had Lugo not cut the throw off, Mathis may have been out for a double play and the run wouldn’t have counted.
The Red Sox had a chance to tie the game up at 2 in the 6th inning but a perfect throw by Juan Rivera and a great block of the plate by Mathis nailed Ellsbury at the plate.
Figgins got on to start the 7th on a throwing error by Mike Lowell. An Izturis ground out got Figgins to second. After Abreu flew out, Hunter knocked in Figgins from second with a single to give the Angels a 3-1 lead.
Another great comeback win for the Red Sox and another great job for the bullpen keeping them in the game.
These same two teams are back at again later tonight at 10:05 PM when the ageless wonder Tim Wakefield and the rookie Matt Palmer square off.
Boston Red Sox @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 5.12.09 box score
