The Angels and Red Sox continue their four game set tonight as starting pitchers Dan Haren and Jon Lester take the mound for their respective clubs. This evening's game two showdown is scheduled for a 7:10pm ET start at historic Fenway Park in Boston. The latest MLB Odds have the Red Sox listed as a -160 moneyline favorite; the game total is set at seven with the Over drawing -120 odds.
Los Angeles lost for the first time all season last night with ace Jeff Weaver on the mound. Weaver earned a quality start by
limiting the Red Sox to three earned runs in six innings, but the Angels trailed 2-3 when he left the game, thus handing him his first loss of the year. Boston proceeded to batter the Los Angeles' bullpen for five hits and six earned runs following Weaver's departure.
The Red Sox, which got 6.2 innings out of starter Clay Buchholz, won the series opening contest 9-5 thanks to multiple hit games from Jacoby Ellsbury, Kevin Youkilis, David Ortiz, and Carl Crawford. Dustin Pedroia and Adrian Gonzalez also got in on the offensive act, combining for five RBI and two runs.
The loss dropped the Angels record to 16-13 overall, but they maintained their first place standing in the AL West due to a head-to-head tie breaker over the Rangers. Boston improved to 13-15 and pushed Toronto into the AL East cellar with the win.
The Red Sox, which trail the first place Yankees by five games, will send staff ace Jon Lester to the hill this evening. Lester looked miserable in his first outing of the season, giving up five earned runs in just over five innings, but he has been on-point ever since. The Washington native is 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA on the year and he has struck out 35 batters in 39.1 innings pitched. Lester is also 3-1 in six career starts against the Angels, but his ERA in those appearances is a less than stellar 4.81.
Dan Haren gets the call for Los Angeles tonight as he shoots for his fifth win of the season. The Angels are 0-2 in Haren's last two starts, but the California native had little to do with the setbacks as he allowed a meager eight hits and two earned runs over 13 innings. Haren brings a 4-1 record, 1.23 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and 38 strikeouts into this evening's game.
The Red Sox are 9-1 in their last 10 meetings with the Angels, winning by an average of 3.7 runs per game.
Angels vs Red Sox Odds 2011 MLB Predictions:
Los Angeles Angels +1.5 (-165), Over 7 (-120), +140 (Moneyline)
Boston Red Sox -1.5 (+145), Under 7 (+100), -160 (Moneyline)
