The Angels went into their house of horrors, Fenway Park, and kept their winning streak against the Boston Red Sox rolling thanks to the kind of explosive inning that the Sox have made their trademark.
Trailing 2-1 through five innings, the Angels sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth inning and scored six times on six hits, a walk and a squeeze bunt by Jeff Mathis. Casey Kotchman had a two-run home run in the inning (his career-high 12th of the season including one in each of his three starts on this trip) and Torii Hunter a three-run shot (also his third on the trip).
The six runs matched the Angels’ high for an inning this season and came off Daisuke Matsuzaka who came into the game with an 11-1 record and 2.63 ERA.
It took some work to make it stand up, though. Starter Jered Weaver lasted just 5 2/3 innings, exiting with runners on second and third after Jed Lowrie’s two-out RBI double.
Jose Arredondo, Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez then tiptoed through a 3 1/3-inning minefield of five hits and two walks, stranding six runners before Rodriguez secured the victory with his 44th save of the season — only after giving up a two-out, solo home run to Manny Ramirez in the ninth.
The six-game winning streak against the Red Sox this season is the Angels’ longest against them since they won eight consecutive meetings August 26, 1961 through May 30, 1962.
Some thoughts as the clock ticks towards Tim Mead’s first pitch and the Angels-Red Sox opener …
