The Los Angeles Angels exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning on Saturday night, rallying past the Boston Red Sox 10-4 in the middle game of a three game series at Angels Stadium in Anaheim, California.
Boston got off to another fast start. JD Martinez doubled in Rafael Devers in the top of the first to make it 1-0 Sox. Mike Trout tied it with an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning for Los Angeles (65-72). Martinez was at it again in the third with an RBI single, and Andrew Benintendi also added a run scoring single to make it 3-1. Kole Calhoun and Luis Rengifo came right back for the Angels each connecting for RBI doubles in the bottom of the third to tie the score again 3-3.
Mookie Betts regained the last lead of the night for Boston (73-63) with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. Los Angeles then did some big time damage in their half of the eighth inning still trailing by a run. Ryan Brasier entered the game in relief for the Red Sox. Justin Upton and Kalhoun both singled to start off the inning, and then Andrelton Simmons singled in Upton to tie the score. Brasier then struck out Shohei Ohtani and got Matt Thaiss to fly out to center field for the second out. David Fletcher then doubled to give the Angels their first lead of the night. After Trout was intentionally walked, Brian Goodwin slapped a two run single to center to end a very rough 2/3 of an inning for Brasier. Reliever Ryan Smith was then greeted with a three run homerun by Albert Pujols on a 2-2 pitch to right center to cap off the huge inning and the scoring on the night.
Brasier (2-4) got the loss and his fourth blown save allowing six runs on five hits in that 2/3 of an inning that made the difference in the game. Betts had three hits to lead Boston in the loss, while Martinez and Brock Holt had two hits a piece. Luis Garcia (2-1) pitched a scoreless inning in relief to pick up the win. Fletcher, Goodwin, Pujols, Calhoun, and Simmons all had two hits a piece.
The rubber game of the three game series in scheduled for a 4:07 p.m. first pitch Sunday afternoon. A pair of left handers take to the hill as David Price returns from the injured list to start for the Red Sox, and Andrew Heaney goes for the Angels. Boston has still won five of their last seven games, but remain 5.5 games behind Oakland and Tampa Bay for the second American League Wild Card spot.
JD Martinez (28) trots home after hitting a homerun against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park earlier this season. Martinez had two more hits Saturday night as Boston fell to the Los Angeles Angels. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
