Yu Chang went 2-for-4 with a home run and the game-winning single as the Boston Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-7 on Saturday.
After Enrique Hernandez hit a leadoff single and two catcher’s interference calls loaded the bases to begin the eighth inning, Chang flipped the score Boston’s way with a two-run knock through the left side.
Angels reliever Ryan Tepera (1-1) walked Rob Refsnyder to force in an insurance run as Boston earned its second straight win to begin the series.
Refsnyder and Rafael Devers, who homered in the first inning, had two RBI apiece.
Ryan Brasier (1-0) earned the win after a scoreless eighth inning. Kenley Jansen recorded his second save in as many days.
Gio Urshela hit a first-inning grand slam and had five RBI to lead the Angels. Mike Trout was 3-for-4 with two doubles, including the 300th of his career.
After Trout lined his milestone double to left with one out in the first, back-to-back walks extended the opening frame for Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta and set up Urshela for the grand slam.
The Red Sox cut right into their early deficit in the first. Refsnyder hit a two-out double and followed Devers home after his second homer in as many games, a two-run shot over the Green Monster.
Boston made it 4-3 two innings later when Justin Turner drove a leadoff double to left, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Devers grounded into a double play.
Back-to-back hits with two outs in the fourth helped the Red Sox jump in front. After Connor Wong doubled to center, Chang scored him as he crushed his first Boston hit with a homer to deep left-center.
Refsnyder’s line single to left scored an additional run in the form of Alex Verdugo, who singled and advanced on a walk and wild pitch.
Tyler Anderson worked four innings as the Angels starter, allowing six runs, eight hits (two homers) and four walks in four innings.
The Angels quickly drew back even with a pair of fifth-inning runs. Anthony Rendon’s RBI single was the first of three straight hits to begin the frame against Pivetta, who had not allowed a run since the first.
Urshela’s bloop single to center made it 6-6 two batters later.
Pivetta was charged with five runs on six hits and three walks while striking out four in four innings.
Los Angeles got back in front in the sixth. Shohei Ohtani lined a two-out single to center that scored Taylor Ward.
–Field Level Media
