Bradley, Devers Homer For Red Sox In 4-2 Win Over Angels
BOSTON (AP) — Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer and Rafael Devers had a solo shot as the Boston Red Sox beat Los Angeles 4-2 on Thursday night, completing a season sweep of the Angels for the first time since they joined the American League as an expansion club in 1961.
Boston outscored Los Angeles 49-12 while taking all six games, which according to the Red Sox is the first six-game season sweep in club history.
The Red Sox have won four straight and six of seven as they head to New York to open three-game series between the rivals on Friday night with first place in the AL East on the line.
Hector Velazquez (6-0) pitched two scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three. Craig Kimbrell earned his 24th save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Andrelton Simmons hit a solo homer and Albert Pujols had an RBI single for the Angels, who have lost six straight.
Los Angeles was up 1-0 until Devers led off the fifth with his 13th homer, to center off of Jamie Barria (5-4).
Barria was pulled after giving up a one-out walk to J.D. Martinez with one out in the sixth and the score still tied 1-1. Jose Alvarez gave up a double to Mitch Moreland, with Martinez moving to third. Xander Bogaerts was then walked intentionally to load the bases, and Brock Holt drew a walk to drive in Martinez for Boston's first lead. Alvarez then got Devers to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Barria was charged with two runs on four hits and two walks, striking out two over 5 1/3 innings.
Bradley's homer, his sixth, in the seventh pushed Boston's lead to 4-1.
The Angels picked up a run in the eighth off of Joe Kelly, who walked Trout to start the inning followed by back-to-back singles by Upton and Pujols. Both were still on first and second with one out when Andrew Benintendi made a catch that kept Los Angeles from tying it. Fletcher hit a hard shot to left that was headed to the Green Monster until Benintendi ran it down and reached behind him and caught the ball just before it could hit the scoreboard. Red Sox fans gave Benintendi a standing ovation before Chris Young flew out to center to end the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Angels: Placed rookie reliever Jake Jewell on the DL with a broken right leg that could cause him to miss the rest of the season. He's scheduled to have surgery Friday. Jewell was carted off the field at Fenway Park on Wednesday night. ... The Angels recalled RHP Eduardo Paredes from Triple-A Salt Lake and added RHP Taylor Cole to the major league roster.
UP NEXT
Angels: RHP Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40 ERA) gets his third start of the season and first on the road when the Angels open up a weekend series in Baltimore on Friday.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9-2, 3.86) was on a six-start winning streak before taking the loss Saturday against Seattle. Rodriguez is scheduled to go up against Yankees LHP C.C. Sabathia (4-3, 3.18) in the series opener Friday night.
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