Red Sox Wrap: Michael Wacha Has Statement Game In Win Vs. Angels

The Boston Red Sox won the first game of their four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels, 1-0, at Angel Stadium on Monday to extend their winning streak to five games.

Boston improved to 28-27 on the season, while Los Angeles, who lost its 12th straight contest, fell to 27-29.

You can view the full box score here.

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Michael Wacha has a case for the biggest steal of the offseason. Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom signed the veteran right-hander to a one-year, $7 million deal and received a frontline starter in exchange. The spotlight deserves to be on Wacha, but Bloom’s ability to find hidden gems cannot be understated nor forgotten.

After his performance on Monday, Wacha is down to a ridiculous 1.99 ERA. Fans witnessed Wacha’s statement game in a Red Sox uniform. Boston manager Alex Cora kept rolling him out there and the veteran kept dealing when the team needed him most.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Wacha threw a complete-game shutout against the Halos. He allowed three hits and racked up six strikeouts and recorded a walk. His performance was masterful and much-needed with just one run of support.

— Christian Vázquez drove in the Alex Verdugo from first base on a sharp line drive to center with a full count and two outs in the second inning to give the Red Sox a lead that would hold for the remainder of the game.

— Verdugo was the only member of the Red Sox to cross the plate, on the aforementioned Vázquez single. He only had one hit in the game but scored the lone run.

WAGER WATCH
Betting on Wacha has been a wise decision through a third of the season. He had -170 odds on DraftKings Sportsbook to exceed 3.5 strikeouts. A $100 bet on the righty paid out $158.82.

ON DECK AT NESN
The Red Sox will play the second game of their four-game series on Tuesday against the Angels. First pitch is scheduled for 9:38 p.m. ET following an hour of pregame coverage, and you can watch it all on NESN.