Jarren Duran’s solo home run in the eighth inning snapped a tie and helped lift the Boston Red Sox to an 8-6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday in Anaheim, Calif.
Duran’s home run was one of five by Boston hitters in the game, including two by Tyler O’Neill. Reese McGuire and Triston Casas also homered.
The Angels, however, made a game of it, thanks to a game-tying grand slam by Logan O’Hoppe in the sixth inning.
The Red Sox did endure a potentially key loss on the night, though. Shortstop Trevor Story left in the fourth inning after injuring his left shoulder. Story ranged into the hole at short to make a diving back-handed attempt to field a sharp grounder by Mike Trout, and he immediately began writhing on the ground in pain.
Down 5-1 entering the bottom of the sixth, the Angels got help from the Red Sox defense. Errors by center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela and second baseman Enmanuel Valdez gave the Angels two baserunners to start the inning, and Miguel Sano was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
One out later, O’Hoppe hit a 96 mph sinker from Josh Winckowski over the fence in center for a grand slam, tying the game 5-5.
The Red Sox regained the lead in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Valdez, but the Angels tied it up again in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Sano.
Angels reliever Jose Soriano, however, surrendered solo homers to Duran in the eighth and O’Neill in the ninth, allowing the Red Sox to hand the ball over to closer Kenley Jansen, who pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save.
Chris Martin (1-0), one of five Red Sox relievers, earned the victory over Soriano (0-1).
Angels starter Griffin Canning threw a scoreless first inning, but the Red Sox rocked him in the second inning with three home runs. O’Neill and Casas hit back-to-back pitches from Canning for long balls to begin the inning.
One out later, Rafaela walked, and McGuire followed with a two-run shot for a 4-0 Red Sox lead.
Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford held the Angels scoreless on one hit through four innings, but the Angels scored on a bases-loaded walk by Nolan Schanuel in the fifth. It marked the 36th consecutive game in which Schanuel reached base by hit, walk or hit batter to start his career, the third-longest streak in major league history.
The Angels had three walks in the inning, including one by Anthony Rendon, marking the first time he reached base this season. Later in the game, he ended an 0-for-21 stretch to start the season with an infield single.
Crawford didn’t survive the inning. He allowed one run on two hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings, striking out five.
Canning yielded four runs on five hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings. He fanned four.
–Field Level Media
