Xander Bogaerts had three hits with a homerun and three RBI, and JD Martinez also hit his 34th homerun of the season Sunday evening as the Boston Red Sox took the rubber game of a three game series in Anaheim, California with a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
For the second straight day Boston took a 4-0 lead, but unlike Saturdays loss the bullpen was able to hold on. Bogaerts scored Mookie Betts with an RBI single in the top of the first, and then in the third the shortstop hit a two run homer to center field, that was then followed by a solo shot by Martinez to left center which turned out to be the game winner. The homerun by Bogaerts was his 31st of the season.
Los Angeles (65-73) would slowly chip away starting with an Albert Pujols ground rule RBI double in the home half of the third inning to get on the board. Max Stassi cut it to a pair with a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning at 4-2. The Boston bullpen though did a good job from that point on allowing just a run on two hits and three baserunners. Justin Upton did lead off the eighth inning with a solo homer to center off Matt Barnes to cut it to that one run deficit. Mike Trout was hit by a pitch with two outs in the ninth by Brandon Workman, but the Sox right hander was able to retire Brian Goodwin on a fly out to center field to end the game and pick up the save.
David Price had started the game for Boston on the mound in his first game since being removed from the injured list, but would leave after just 2.0 innings allowing no runs on one hit. Ryan Weber (2-2) got the win with a solid scoreless 2.0 innings. The save for Workman was his 10th of the season. Rafael Devers also added two of the eight hits on the afternoon for the Sox. Goodwin and Luis Rengifo each had two hits for Los Angeles. Andrew Heaney (3-4) took the pitching loss allowing four runs on seven hits in a 5.0 inning effort.
Boston improves to 74-63, and also goes 6-2 on the eight game road trip to San Diego (2-1), Colorado (2-0), and Los Angeles (2-1). The Sox enjoy a day off on Monday before opening up a huge week of games at Fenway Park on Tuesday with the first of a three game series against the Minnesota Twins. Rick Porcello will take to the hill for Boston on Tuesday night at 7:10 p.m. in the opener.
Boston shortstop Xander Bogaerts waits on a pitch in a recent game at Fenway Park against the Philadelphia Phillies. Bogaerts had three hits including a homerun on Sunday to lead the Red Sox to a win over the Los Angeles Angels. Photo courtesy of Delaney Gardner
