A rematch of last year’s AL Division Series headlines Tuesday’s baseball action as the Los Angeles Angels visit Boston, with the Red Sox opening as -170 money line betting favorites (over/under: 9) on WagerWeb.com in the opening game.
Boston has surged to the top of the AL East and is on a five-game winning streak (and has won nine of 10) after sweeping Texas on Monday afternoon.
The Angels are also playing well, going 6-2 in their last eight games. But they well remember last season’s ALDS sweep, when the Angels batted .192, with a .253 team slugging percentage. The Red Sox hit .269 with a .495 slugging mark. But that was an injury-ravaged Angel’s team. And it didn’t have Torii Hunter, either.
The big free agent prize of the offseason missed Sunday’s game, however, with a toe injury. In fact, he has missed as many games this season (two) as all of last. But he expects to be “good to go” on Tuesday night.
What might be concerning to L.A. is Tuesday’s starter, Jered Weaver.
Weaver has only four strikeouts in his past 11 2/3 innings, two subpar efforts following two good ones. He's 0-1 in two career starts at Fenway Park with a 7.36 ERA, and is 0-2 overall against the Red Sox in four outings with a 4.70 ERA.
More bad news for the Angels is who will be on the mound for Boston - Josh Beckett.
Beckett blanked L.A. on four hits with no walks and eight strikeouts in a 4-0 victory in Game 1 of the ALDS.
"Beckett was about as good as we've seen him," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said then. However, Beckett's always been good against Scioscia's team.Including last year's postseason start, the right-hander is 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in five appearances vs. the Angels, walking eight and striking out 30.
Beckett has defeated the Yankees in his last two starts. Most recently, he pitched the Sox to a 7-5 win in New York by allowing three runs over eight innings. Beckett has six walks and 16 strikeouts over 19 1/3 innings and is holding opponents to a .200 average.
"He understands his responsibility and he's good enough to carry it out. He looked healthy," Boston manager Terry Francona said of Beckett’s last start.
That victory triggered the Red Sox's current five-game win streak, matching their longest from last season. They haven't won six in a row since a 12-game run from June 16-29, 2006.
A rejuvenated Boston lineup has been led by Manny Ramirez, who batted .417 (10-24) with four homers and eight RBIs in seven games last week (he was named AL Player of the Week). He led the AL in homers and slugging (.958).
David Ortiz even may be coming around after a slow start, going 7-for-16 (.438) with a homer and 11 RBIs in the Rangers series. He entered with a .111 average and four RBIs.
Boston has scored at least five runs for nine consecutive games.
One hitter who destroyed the Angels last year in the playoffs won’t be playing tonight: Boston’s Mike Lowell.
For the first time since going on the 15-day disabled list, the Red Sox third baseman is expected to step back into the batter's box at Fenway Park on Tuesday afternoon.
Though it will just be batting practice and not game action, it is the surest sign yet of the progress Lowell has made from a sprained left thumb sustained on April 9.
"If I'm healthy, I don't see why I wouldn't (return soon)," Lowell said. "If I'm pain-free, I'm hoping. We'll see. It's a work in progress."
Lowell is eligible to come off the disabled list on Friday.
Angels-Red Sox betting trends: Angels are 6-2 in their last 8 road games. ... Red Sox are 41-19 in their last 60 home games. ... Angels are 6-20 in the last 26 meetings in Boston. ... Over is 6-2-1 in the last 9 meetings.
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