Recap: LA Angels vs. Boston
Sports Network | October 02, 2008
Anaheim, CA (Sports Network) - Jason Bay made Boston forget about its former postseason standout left fielder Manny Ramirez with a game-deciding, two-run homer to help lift the Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of their best-of-five American League Division Series.
Bay also doubled in making his postseason debut after being acquired from Pittsburgh in the trade that sent Ramirez to the Dodgers. Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits, with an RBI, scored a run, stole a pair of bases and made a spectacular diving catch for the defending World Series champions.
Jon Lester (1-0) seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the opening frame and surrendering an unearned run in the third on six hits overall. The southpaw struck out seven and walked one through seven innings.
The Red Sox ran their postseason winning streak to eight and have 10 consecutive playoff wins over the Angels dating back to 1986, as the two teams met in division series play for the third time in the past five seasons. Boston is coming off its second World Series title in the past four seasons and has emerged victorious in four of its last five Division Series.
Lester got the nod for Game 1 after ace right-hander Josh Beckett strained an oblique during a bullpen session this past weekend. Beckett is expected to start Game 3 Sunday in Boston. Lester, who started Boston's World Series clincher a year ago, was 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA this season.
Jonathan Papelbon continued to pitch with ice in his veins, extending his career postseason scoreless streak to 15 2/3 innings in 10 appearances, working the ninth for the save.
The Red Sox also took advantage of a base-running mistake by Vladimir Guerrero, who was easily thrown out at third base in the eighth inning with Boston holding a one-run lead.
John Lackey (0-1) worked out of trouble when he needed to, but was touched for Bay's two-run homer in the sixth, one of just four hits allowed by the right- hander. He walked three and struck out five over 6 2/3 innings.
Torii Hunter drove in LA's lone run and was one of four players to collect a pair of hits for the Angels, who clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with an MLB-best 100-62 regular season record, but fell for the eighth straight time in postseason play.
The Angels took eight of nine from the Red Sox during the regular season and rattled off the last eight after a 7-6 defeat April 22 in Boston.
Game 2 is set for Friday in Anaheim with the Angels' Ervin Santana toeing the rubber against Boston's Daisuke Matsuzaka.
