The Los Angeles Angels defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-1 on Friday to move within one win of finally defeating their playoff nemesis.
The Angels, who head to Boston today with a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Series, have been dominated by the Red Sox in the postseason in recent years.
After losing to Boston in the ALDS for the last two seasons, and three times in the last five years, the AL West winners now appear ready to return the favor.
Angels starting pitcher Jered Weaver delivered a strong effort in Friday’s contest, striking out seven and allowing just two hits and one run in seven-and-a-third innings.
“We had a good game plan, we talked about it before the game, and Jered executed it perfectly,” Angels catcher Mike Napoli told reporters. “Hats off to him [and the bullpen]. It was awesome, now we’re going to Boston to try to close it out.”
Angels relievers Kevin Jepsen and Brian Fuentes combined to pitch the ninth inning as Los Angeles won their second in a row at Angel Stadium after previously losing six successive playoff games there.
“These two guys were matching each other pitch for pitch,’’ Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We did a really good job of staying focused, settling down ... The only way we’re going to beat good pitching is to pitch with them, and we were able to do that the first couple of nights.”
Los Angeles trailed 1-0 after Boston catcher Victor Martinez hit an RBI single in the fourth, but Kendry Morales tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with a sacrifice-fly.
The home team broke the game open against Red Sox starter Josh Beckett in the seventh.
Angels slugger Maicer Izturis provided a go-ahead RBI single before Erick Aybar came through with a two-run triple.
Beckett, a tough playoff performer, left the game after Aybar’s hit having given up four runs on five hits in less than seven innings.
“We’ve had a tough time these last two games swinging the bat — that’s an understatement,” Boston manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game.
“We’ll try to win the next game. That’s what we always do,” Francona said
Scott Kazmir will take the mound for the Angels against Clay Buchholz at Boston’s Fenway Park today.
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