Michael Wacha pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Rafael Devers started Boston’s two-run fourth inning with a solo home run as the host Red Sox went on to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-0 on Tuesday night.
Franchy Cordero, Jackie Bradley Jr. and J.D. Martinez all had multiple hits for the Red Sox, who added single runs in the seventh and eighth innings. Martinez homered over the Green Monster to cap the scoring.
Boston had lost back-to-back games and 10 of 14 entering the night.
Reigning American League MVP Shohei Ohtani returned to the Angels’ lineup, going 1-for-4. He was held out of the lineup Monday after leaving the previous day’s game with groin tightness.
L.A. was held to just three hits against the combination of Wacha, Jake Diekman, Ryan Brasier and Hirokazu Sawamura. The relievers threw 3 1/3 hitless frames and struck out three to make Wacha (3-0) a winner.
Boston stranded two hits over the first three innings against Angels starter Noah Syndergaard (2-1), but Devers turned the scoreboard for the first time with a solo shot to straightaway center field in the fourth.
The Sox third baseman’s fourth homer of the season came on the first pitch, highlighting a two-run, three-hit frame that also included Enrique Hernandez’s RBI groundout scoring Xander Bogaerts following a walk and two grounders.
Wacha turned in another strong start for Boston, using only 60 pitches to complete his 5 2/3 innings. He allowed just three hits, walked two and faced three more than the minimum thanks to a pair of ground ball double plays.
When Wacha exited, Diekman inherited Mike Trout on second base after a two-out single and error, but Ohtani lined to left field to end the inning.
The Sox extended their lead to 3-0 in the seventh before Syndergaard finished his outing. Cordero and Kevin Plawecki led off the frame with back-to-back singles, and the latter scored on Trevor Story’s sacrifice fly to deep center.
Syndergaard scattered eight hits and three runs while fanning three in seven innings.
The Angels entered the series having won seven of their previous nine games.
–Field Level Media