[ad_1]
ANAHEIM, Calif .– Over the weekend, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said his club’s outside defense was elite. Monday night in Anaheim, it looked like the game.
Danny Santana and Kiké Hernández each dismissed runners from the outfield and Christian Arroyo and Rafael Devers both scored the home run as the Red Sox beat the Angels, 5-4, in Game 1 of a three-game series at the Angel Stadium. Boston has now won three of the first four games of its West Coast trip and is 54-42 this season.
Arroyo, who was activated from the injured list after a two-week stint before the game, put Boston on the board with a solo shot from Angels starter José Suarez in second and Devers – who had three hits – launched a product point. single to give the Sox a 2-0 lead later in the set. After Juan Lagares reduced him to 2-1 with a sacrifice flying over Sox starter Martín Pérez half a round later, Hernández made a late inning jump against the wall in the middle of the pitch, depriving Luis Rengifo of ‘an extra-basic hit.
Devers, who was named to his first-team all-star last week, gave the Sox a 4-1 lead with a two-point shot against Dylan Bundy in the fourth and Santana made it 5-1 with a simple RBI to fifth. After Los Angeles tackled a run from David Fletcher RBI, Shohei Ohtani hit a left field single, but Santana knocked Jose Rojas home for the second in the inning.
One set later, with the Sox still leading 5-2, Max Stassi attempted to turn a single into a double, but was sent off by Hernández for Boston’s 28th assist of the season. Rojas hit a solo shot against Hirokazu Sawamura to make it a two-point game in the seventh; Josh Taylor then extended his scoreless streak with a 1 ⅓ relief.
In the ninth, with Matt Barnes unavailable after throwing 33 shots on Sunday, Adam Ottavino got around trouble to get the save. After Jose Iglesias walked and stole the second goal, Rojas led it with a single RBI that took it to 5-4. With runners on second base, Ottavino allowed Ohtani to abruptly hit Arroyo to end the game.
Pérez, who was making his penultimate start before the All-Star break, was solid, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits in a 5 ⅓ inning. The southpaw improved to 7-4 with a 3.89 ERA this season.
Gonzalez (hamstrings) quits the game
Marwin Gonzalez left the game midway through the third inning with right hamstring strain, the team announced. Santana then replaced him in left field. Gonzalez is hand to mouth.
Eovaldi will face Ohtani on Tuesday night
The Red Sox will have their only chance of the year to face Ohtani on the mound on Tuesday night in Game 2 of a three-game series. All-star right-hander Nathan Eovaldi will finish his first half with the first pitch scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET.
Related links:
Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angeles Angels preview: TV show, launch odds, key stories, how to watch (July 5-7)
Boston Red Sox roster moves: IL activated Christian Arroyo, Michael Chavis fired to WooSox
Boston Red Sox Alex Cora “amazed” by Angels’ Shohei Ohtani: “We should give him a new award”
[ad_2]
Source link