Final, Angels 9-5: The Red Sox’ offense started putting everything together in the ninth inning, but it’s too little too late.
The Red Sox strung together five straight hits with two down. Mike Napoli, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Mike Carp connected on three straight singles, resulting in Boston’s third run. Stephen Drew then doubled off the wall in left-center field to bring home two more.
After Jose Iglesias singled to put the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, the Angels turned to their closer, Ernesto Frieri. Frieri ended the game by striking out Jacoby Ellsbury.
The Red Sox’ ninth-inning rally didn’t mean much, but perhaps it’ll give the club some momentum going into the night cap of Saturday’s day-night doubleheader.
Felix Doubront allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. The Red Sox’ bullpen then struggled from there. Franklin Morales was charged with four earned runs as the Angels broke the game open in the seventh inning.
The second game of the doubleheader is scheduled to kick off at 7:15 p.m.
Mid 9th, Angels 9-2: The Red Sox’ bullpen simply doesn’t have it in this game. The Angels added two runs to their total in the ninth inning.
Howie Kendrick and Alberto Callaspo started the ninth with back-to-back singles into left field. Chris Iannetta then popped out, and John Farrell turned to left-hander Andrew Miller.
Miller was erratic. He walked Erick Aybar to load the bases, and he issued a two-out walk to Mike Trout to give Los Angeles its eighth run.
Prior to Trout’s walk, the Red Sox had an opportunity for an inning-ending double play. J.B. Shuck grounded to Mike Napoli, and the first baseman immediately threw home. His toss was off the mark, though, and Boston could only record one out.
Napoli then had another mishap after Trout’s walk. Josh Hamilton grounded to first base and the ball slipped past Napoli, allowing Hamilton to reach and Aybar to score.
Garrett Richards will come back out to pitch the ninth inning with a seven-run lead.
End 8th, Angels 7-2: The Red Sox have put at least one runner on base in seven of their eight at-bats, yet they still have just two runs to show for it.
Boston threatened and came up empty again in the eighth inning.
Garrett Richards took over, and he got two quick outs before running into trouble. Mike Carp grounded out and Stephen Drew struck out.
Jose Iglesias then singled, breaking up a string of seven straight retired by Angels pitchers. It also continued Iglesias’ torrid streak, as he’s really developed into an on-base machine.
Jacoby Ellsbury reached on a catcher interference call. Ellsbury’s bat hit Chris Iannetta’s mitt on his swing, and the outfielder was thus given first base while Iglesias shifted up to second. As is the case with catcher interference calls, Iannetta was assessed an error.
Daniel Nava couldn’t cash in on the scoring chance, though. He grounded out to end the inning.
Mid 8th, Angels 7-2: Mike Trout is really showcasing his skills.
Trout hammered a single into right field to lead off the eighth inning, and that gives him three hits in the contest.
Fortunately for the Red Sox, Clayton Mortensen settled down after the leadoff hit. He retired the next three hitters in order to keep the deficit at five runs.
Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols each grounded out, and Mark Trumbo flied out to left field.
End 7th, Angels 7-2: The Red Sox need to get to work if they plan on coming back in this one. After another scoreless inning in the seventh, they’re six outs away from dropping Game 1 of the day-night doubleheader.
David Ortiz, Mike Napoli and Jarrod Saltalamacchia were retired in order in the seventh.
Ortiz and Napoli each flied out, while Saltalamacchia struck out swinging against Scott Downs. Salty whiffed on a nasty slider in the dirt, and catcher Chris Iannetta tossed down to first base to complete the inning-ending out.
Mid 7th, Angels 7-2: Clayton Mortensen needed to play a little damage control with the bases juiced, and he escaped the inning after giving up one more run.
Erick Aybar struck a ground ball back up the middle. Dustin Pedroia made a nice diving play while ranging to his right, but by the time he sprung to his feet and fired to first, Aybar was aboard safely. That allowed Howie Kendrick to score L.A.’s seventh run.
J.B. Shuck flied out to center field to end the inning.
3:47 p.m., Angels 6-2: Franklin Morales was very shaky, and he won’t make it through the seventh inning.
After J.B. Shuck grounded out to first base, Mike Trout smoked a ball off the Green Monster for a double. It’s the second dent that Trout has put into the left field wall in this game, as he also doubled back in the third inning.
Josh Hamilton flied out for out No. 2, but the third out proved to be elusive.
Morales intentionally walked Albert Pujols with first base open, and Mark Trumbo went right down the right field line for a double. Trout crossed the plate with Los Angeles’ fourth run while Pujols stopped at third base.
Morales then struggled mightily with his control. He issued three straight walks, resulting in two more runs. John Farrell decided at that point that he’s seen enough, and Clayton Mortensen will take over.
End 6th, Angels 3-2: The Red Sox have knocked on the door in every inning, but only once have they been let in.
The Sox put two runners on in the sixth inning before Michael Kohn put an abrupt stop to the threat via a 6-4-3 double play.
Jose Iglesias, who has been extremely patient during his big league stints this year, walked to lead off the inning. He then showed some hustle in sliding hardly into second base to break up a potential double play.
Following Jacoby Ellsbury’s forceout, Daniel Nava singled over Howie Kendrick’s head and into right field. That set up runners at first and second with one out, but Dustin Pedroia grounded into a double play.
Pedroia made solid contact — as the ball exploded on Erick Aybar at short — but it was an easy twin killing to end the inning.
Franklin Morales will take over for Boston in the seventh.
Mid 6th, Angels 3-2: The Angels’ fourth run was 90 feet away, but it never crossed the plate.
Alberto Callaspo lined a one-out double down into the left field corner, and he moved up to third base when Chris Iannetta flied out to right field.
Felix Doubront buckled down with two outs, getting Erick Aybar to ground out harmlessly to first base.
Michael Kohn will enter the game and pitch the sixth inning for the Angels.
End 5th, Angels 3-2: Tommy Hanson will exit with a lead, but it was a battle all afternoon.
Hanson, despite giving up just two runs, labored through all five innings, including the fifth inning. He’ll leave on a positive note, though, as he kept the Red Sox’ offense in check in the fifth.
Mike Napoli flied out to center field and Jarrod Saltalamacchia grounded out to first base. Mike Carp, who homered in the fourth inning, then tried to get a little something going with a single into right field.
Hanson, who featured a ton of offspeed pitches in the fifth, struck out Stephen Drew with a curveball to end the inning.
Hanson is up to 114 pitches, which is why I assume his day is done.
Mid 5th, Angels 3-2: Felix Doubront had a very up-and-down inning.
J.B. Shuck walked on five pitches, but Doubront then struck out both Mike Trout and Josh Hamilton. Trout fanned on a fastball from Doubront, while Hamilton went down waving at a changeup.
Albert Pujols then drilled a ball into left field. He took a wide turn around first base before throwing on the brakes, and Shuck scampered over to third base.
Doubront avoided any damage by getting Mark Trumbo to ground out to second base. We’ll now see if the Red Sox’ offense can build on its solid fourth inning.
End 4th, Angels 3-2: The Red Sox finally broke through against Tommy Hanson.
The Sox failed to capitalize on a few scoring chances in the first three innings, but Mike Carp didn’t wait around in the fourth. Hanson jumped ahead in the count 0-2, but Carp drove a 1-2 fastball over the bullpens in right field to put the Red Sox on the scoreboard.
Hanson got both Stephen Drew and Jose Iglesias to pop out, but Jacoby Ellsbury kicked off a two-out rally with a walk.
Ellsbury stole second base easily, and he scored when Daniel Nava delivered a base hit into right field. Josh Hamilton charged in to field Nava’s hit, but it scooted past him. It looked as if Hamilton was thinking about throwing to the plate before corralling the hit cleanly.
Nava advanced to third base when Hanson tossed a pitch in the dirt, but David Ortiz failed to knock him in. Ortiz grounded into the shift to end the inning.
Hanson tossed 31 pitches in the lengthy fourth inning. He’s thrown 91 overall.
Mid 4th, Angels 3-0: Felix Doubront enjoyed a very quick inning in the fourth.
Alberto Callaspo flied out into right-center field for the first out. Chris Iannetta then struck out swinging on a changeup in the dirt, and Erick Aybar lined out to Jose Iglesias at third base to end the inning.
Doubront has thrown 65 pitches (43 strikes) thus far.
End 3rd, Angels 3-0: It’s been a frustrating game for the Red Sox thus far. They keep making some noise, but they have nothing to show for it.
Daniel Nava, who is really having a special season, kicked off Boston’s third-inning threat with a single into center field. Dustin Pedroia built on the threat by grounding a base hit back up the middle.
Tommy Hanson settled down from there, though. He retired the next three hitters to keep the shutout intact.
David Ortiz and Mike Napoli struck out, and Jarrod Saltalamacchia popped out in the infield. Ortiz went down swinging on a curveball down and out of the zone — as he did back in the first inning — and Napoli went down looking at a deuce.
Mid 3rd, Angels 3-0: The Angels built a threat, and they then benefited from two very productive outs to increase their lead to 3-0.
Mike Trout started the inning by going high off the wall in left. It was fielded cleanly off the bounce, but Trout, who has great speed, was able to slide in safely at second base.
Josh Hamilton, who has had a difficult year to date, then walked, setting up runners at first and second with no outs for the always dangerous Albert Pujols.
Trout and Hamilton each moved up a base via a double steal. It was an aggressive play put on by manager Mike Scioscia, but both Trout and Hamilton run well, so why not?
Pujols ended up driving in Los Angeles’ second run with a sac fly to center. The Angels’ third run came across when Mark Trumbo struck a ground ball to short. Stephen Drew knocked down Trumbo’s ground ball on a diving attempt and Dustin Pedroia threw to first to complete the out, but Hamilton crossed the plate to extend the lead.
End 2nd, Angels 1-0:Â The Red Sox threatened for the second straight inning, but they again came up empty-handed.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Stephen Drew each worked a walk against Tommy Hanson to put runners at first and second with one out.
Prior to Drew’s walk, Mike Carp gave one a ride to center field. Off the bat, it looked like it had a chance to get out of the yard, but Mike Trout ended up making the grab up against the wall.
Saltalamacchia took third when when Jose Iglesias flied out to Josh Hamilton in right-center field, but the inning ended when Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to second base.
Mid 2nd, Angels 1-0: Felix Doubront’s big issue this season has been putting hitters away and putting innings away. The Angels struck for a two-out RBI in the second inning.
Howie Kendrick, who has been on fire of late, led off the inning with a single into left field. He moved up to second base when Mike Napoli couldn’t quite handle a ground ball from Alberto Callaspo cleanly. Napoli took care of the out at first base, but the ball hit the palm of his glove and bounced off, so he was unable to start up a double play.
Chris Iannetta then grounded to third base, where Jose Iglesias made the play before flipping over to first base for the second out.
Erick Aybar put the Angels on the scoreboard with a single into left field. Mike Carp came up firing to the plate, but his throw wasn’t in time. Aybar took second on the toss, but he didn’t end up crossing the plate in the frame, as J.B. Shuck struck out to end the inning.
End 1st, 0-0: The Red Sox threatened in the first inning. They couldn’t push across a run, though.
Jacoby Ellsbury, who had four hits in his first game back on Thursday, started off the doubleheader on a positive note. He lined a base hit into right field, and he then stole second base. The steal was his 22nd of the season, moving him into a tie atop the American League.
But while Ellsbury’s steal made life a little bit more difficult for Tommy Hanson, it didn’t prove to be too problematic.
Daniel Nava grounded to third base, and Ellsbury got caught up in no man’s land. He was eventually tagged out for the first out of the inning as Nava reached at first.
Dustin Pedroia then added to the threat by drilling a double off the Green Monster scoreboard in left field. It was hit hard, but Nava only advanced to third base, and the Red Sox came up empty from there.
David Ortiz struck out swinging on a good-looking curveball down and in, and Mike Napoli grounded out to third base.
Mid 1st, 0-0: It’s been a tough year for Josh Hamilton, but he beat the shift for a double in the first inning.
Mike Trout kicked off the ballgame by grounding out to short. Hamilton then doubled into right field, although the Angels didn’t do much with the opportunity.
Albert Pujols made solid contact, but he drilled a line drive right at Mike Napoli, who took care of business for out No. 2.
Mark Trumbo then grounded out to short to end the inning.
1:06 p.m.: Felix Doubront’s first pitch is a strike, and we’re underway.
12:45 p.m.: Since it’s a doubleheader, we might as well bust out the fun facts.
When playing two games on one day, the Red Sox all-time have swept 495, split 831 and have been swept 445 times. In that time, 23 times one of the games ended in a tie.
12:36 p.m.: The important thing is that the Red Sox are in first place. But a true indication of their roll is that they’re a season-high tying 13 games above .500. They haven’t been 14 games above .500 since the conclusion of the 2011 season, which they finished with a 90-72 record.
12:24 p.m.: Some good news came out of the Red Sox clubhouse on Saturday. Shane Victorino is expected to be activated before Game 2 of the doubleheader. No roster move has been announced, but Victorino will be a nice addition to the top of the Red Sox’ order.
Will Middlebrooks, meanwhile, is continuing his rehab with the PawSox. John Farrell is encouraged by his progress, though.
11:55 a.m.: The lineup card is posted. Have a looksie.
Red Sox (37-24)
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Daniel Nava, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C
Mike Carp, LF
Stephen Drew, SS
Jose Iglesias, 3B
Felix Doubront, LHP (4-2, 4.88 ERA)
Angels (26-34)
Mike Trout, CF
Josh Hamilton, RF
Albert Pujols, DH
Mark Trumbo, 1B
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Alberto Callaspo, 3B
Chris Iannetta, C
Erick Aybar, SS
J.B. Shuck, LF
Tommy Hanson (2-2, 4.19 ERA)
8 a.m. ET: It’s a great — well, better, at least — day. Let’s play two.
Mother Nature restricted us from playing baseball on Friday, but she won’t win Saturday’s battle. We’ve got two games on tap as part of a day-night doubleheader, and it starts with a matinee showdown.
Felix Doubront and Tommy Hanson will square off as the Red Sox and Angels kick off a three-game weekend set. The Sox are certainly hoping that this doubleheader goes a lot smoother than their first of the year. They lost both games of a day-night twin slate back on April 21.
Doubront enters the contest on the heels of a solid performance against the Yankees last Saturday. He went six innings and allowed just one run in that contest, and the left-hander is suddenly trending in the right direction after an up-and-down start to the year.
The first game of Saturday’s doubleheader will kick off at 1:05 p.m., while the second clash will commence at 7:10 p.m. Keep it right here with NESN.com for both games. We’ll have you covered every step of the way.
