Times wires
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
BOSTON — Jon Lester struck out 11, Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz hit consecutive homers and the Red Sox beat the Angels 7-3 on Tuesday night to pull within one game of .500.
Boston, which improved to 6-0 against Los Angeles this season, is 12-6 since a 2-9 start. The Red Sox have won 15 of their past 16 against the Angels.
Lester gave up just Mark Trumbo's second-inning homer that put Los Angeles ahead. He struck out 10 or more for the 15th time in his career.
Dan Haren allowed just two hits until the Red Sox got four in the sixth and two more in the seventh as they rallied for a 3-1 lead.
Gonzalez and Ortiz hit Boston's first consecutive homers this season to start the eighth. Three batters later, Marco Scutaro hit a two-run drive over the Green Monster.
Boston brought on closer Jonathan Papelbon with a 7-1 lead in the ninth. Papelbon gave up three straight hits, including Erick Aybar's RBI double, then allowed Trumbo's sacrifice fly before getting the final two outs.