Final Score in Boston: Angels 9 Chowds 5
Tommy Hanson danced thru raindrops as he kept the Red Sox offense at bay and the Angels bats took care of the rest. Leading 3-2 late, Mark Trumbo had a booming two-run double in a wild seventh inning that saw two runs score on walks. The Red Sox bullpen melted down and despite nine hits, the Boston offense could not get critical runners home despite multiple chances.
In the first game of a doubleheader, the Boston bullpen walked in three runs total while the Halo pen gave no quarter, allowing two hits and a walk over three scoreless innings before a disastrous ninth revealed the limitations of Garrett Richards on the mound. The time the curse of Mike Napoli struck late, with what seemed at the time to be a pointless base hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth - but Napoli turned out to be the first of five consecutive batters who would join the hit parade and force Scioscia to bring in closer Ernesto Frieri with the tying run on deck.
Ernasty got Jacoy Ellsbury and the Angels escaped with a win.
The game featured Mike Scioscia's first revamped lineup in weeks, returning Mike Trout to the leadoff spot, batting Josh Hamilton second for the first time this season and getting a hot Howie Kendrick's bat up to the fifth spot. After nine runs against a first place team you might think The Great Soth will stick with this one, although the second game of a doubleheader loomed as a creative lineup challenge.