Slumping Red Sox, Angels Both Looking to Turn Things Around

It'll be a matchup of disappointing teams when the Red Sox host the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Monday in the first of four straight at Fenway Park.

The 2009 ALDS foes were expected to factor heavily in their respective division races, but both enter under .500 and with matching three-game losing streaks.

The Sox were swept by Baltimore over the weekend for the first time since 1998. The finale was a 3-2 loss in extra innings that featured a Jonathan Papelbon error that helped the Orioles' game-winning rally.

Boston's three straight losses leave them closer to last place (four games) than first (seven) in the challenging AL East.

The Angels were swept in Detroit over the weekend, the first three of 10 straight on the road.

WHEN AND WHERE

Angels (12-14) vs. Red Sox (11-14)
Monday, May 3, 7 p.m. (NESN)
Fenway Park, Boston, Mass.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Angels are 13-5 against the Red Sox in the last two years.

PITCHING MATCHUP

LHP Joe Saunders (1-4, 5.74 ERA) vs. RHP Clay Buchholz (2-2, 2.19 ERA)

Clay Buchholz is coming off his best start of the season and perhaps the most clutch outing of his young career. A day after the Red Sox burned through their bullpen in a 13-12 win over Toronto, Buchholz allowed just a run in eight innings of a 2-1 victory.

The righty defeated Los Angeles in his first career start, but gave up nine earned runs in 11 1/3 innings over his next two.

Joe Saunders has been one of several Angels starters to struggle out of the gate. Since allowing just two unearned runs in eight innings of a win at Toronto, he has been reached for eight runs in just 7 2/3 frames.

The 28-year-old is 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA at Fenway Park.

LINEUPS

STAT SHEET

Red Sox

• Right fielder J.D. Drew has three home runs and 11 RBIs in a span of nine games.
• Bill Hall has drawn eight walks in just 35 plate appearances.
• Papelbon has nine strikeouts against eight walks. In 2008, he had 77 strikeouts against eight walks.

Angels

• Designated hitter Hideki Matsui is 3-for-21 over his last six games and has not produced an extra-base hit in a span of eight games.
• Center fielder Torii Hunter is 8-for-16 with two homers and six RBIs in his last four games.
• The Angels' team 1.48 WHIP is worse than all American League teams except for Kansas City (1.57).

BLACK AND BLUE

Red Sox

• First baseman Kevin Youkilis was scratched Sunday with a strained groin.
• Left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury is still just hitting off a tee and has yet to take live batting practice. He said Friday that he was able to swing, run and throw and that it was his best day yet as he recovers from hairline fractures in four ribs. Ellsbury has been eligible to return from the DL since early in the week.
• Center fielder Mike Cameron, out with a sports hernia, was seen taking cuts in the batting cage before Saturday's game. He is eligible to return from the disabled list in early May.
• Jeremy Hermida was given Saturday and Sunday off with a tight left quad.

Angels

• Catcher Jeff Mathis is expected back in June from a fractured right wrist.
• Catcher Bobby Wilson went on the disabled list April 24 with a concussion and sprained ankle after a violent collision at home plate.

OUTLOOK

Something's got to give when these two teams meet, but the sense of desperation is that much more for the Red Sox. Their deficit in the AL East is seven games, while the Angels are just 1 1/2 games back in the wide-open West.

Adding to that sense of urgency is the fact that Boston has many of its home games early in the season. After this homestand is complete, the club plays 11 more road games than home games, including a stretch of 16 out of 20 away from Fenway in July.

Now's the time to make hay.