Grand finale by Jared Carrabis
Four homers power Sox to sweep over Angels


Eyeing their first win over the Red Sox in seven tries this season, the Angels suffered a loss before a pitch had even been thrown.

Angels’ starter Joel Pineiro suffered an oblique injury just before his scheduled start, which forced right-handed reliever Scot Shields to make an emergency start in his place. Having not made a major league start since 2003, things got messy rather quickly for Shields.

With one away in the top of the second, Adrian Beltre clobbered a 1-0 fastball into the bleachers in left-center for a solo blast.

Two batters later, Bill Hall battled for seven pitches before getting all of a 3-2 fastball, and wrapping it around the left field foul pole for a solo homer of his own.

Josh Beckett, making his second start since coming off the DL, would invite the Angels back into the game in the bottom of the inning. With two outs and runners at first and second, Bobby Wilson hooked a base hit into left that brought home Hideki Matsui.

The next batter, Reggie Willits, shot a base hit back up the middle to tie the game at two.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Angels were up to their old tricks. A leadoff double by Willits, led to a sacrifice bunt by Erick Aybar, followed by a sacrifice fly by Maicer Izturis, giving the Halos the 3-2 advantage.

After getting brushed back earlier in his at bat, Kevin Youkilis took rich Thompson for a ride over both bullpens in left field. The third solo homer of the day for Boston tied the game at three.

An inning after Youk’s bomb, the bottom of the Red Sox’ order got something going against Angels’ reliever, Fernando Rodney. With two men on and nobody out, Eric Patterson dropped down a bunt to advance both runners into scoring position. Newly acquired Halos’ third baseman, Alberto Callaspo, double pumped before throwing to first, as Patterson legged out the infield single.

With the bases loaded, to the plate came Marco Scutaro, who had been on base four times already. With nowhere to put the Boston shortstop, Down in the count 1-2, Rodney floated a changeup to Scutaro that the right-hander smashed down the left field line, as it sailed into the seats for a grand slam.

The four-run swing by Scutaro put Beckett in line for the win, after a seven-inning, five-hit, three-run performance. The right-hander also struck out five and walked one in his 112-pitch outing.

With Daniel Bard and Jonathan Papelbon unavailable, the four-run lead had to be preserved by Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez, who each struck out two batters in scoreless innings of relief.



Final score: Red Sox 7, Angels 3
WP: Josh Beckett (2-1)
LP: Fernando Rodney (4-1)
HR: Adrian Beltre (17), Bill Hall (11), Kevin Youkilis (19), Marco Scutaro (6)

Game notes: The three-game sweep in Anaheim was the first by the Red Sox since July 31 – August 2 series in 1998. Red Sox starters have a 2.69 ERA in their last six starts. In his last two games, Marco Scutaro is 6-for-9 with two walks, a grand slam and three runs scored. The grand slam for Scutaro was the second of his career. After hurling seven innings on Wednesday, Josh Beckett earned his first victory since April 10.

Eye on the scoreboard: With the Yankees winning big over the Tribe and Rafael Soriano grabbing the save at the Trop, the Red Sox remain seven games behind the Yankees and five back of the Rays for the Wild Card.

Tweet of the Night: @NESNHeidiWatney: Anyone who thinks this team doesn't have characters should see how animated and fired up they are in the dugout in this tie game.

-Jared Carrabis

Published on July 29, 2010

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