Ortiz guides Red Sox to soggy win over Angels
BOSTON -- David Ortiz drilled a home run and two singles, and Steven Wright earned his ninth win as the struggling Boston Red Sox opened a nine-game homestand by hanging on for a rain-interrupted, 5-4 victory over the last-place Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
The Red Sox, coming off a 2-4 road trip that capped a 10-16 record in June, play these nine games leading up to the All-Star break and then play nine of their first 12 out of the break at Fenway Park.
The Angels, 8-19 in June, lost for the 10th time in 11 games, but twice they came within inches of tying the game late.
Koji Uehara's defensive play saved Boston's lead in the eighth inning. Johnny Giavotella reached on a triple when left fielder Brock Holt cut in front of center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and had the ball hit off his glove. Carlos Perez then attempted a safety squeeze, and Uehara fielded the ball and shoveled it home with his glove in time to get Giavotella.
In the ninth, former Red Sox outfielder Daniel Nava lined a two-out, ground-rule double down the right field line that hit the top of the wall and was grabbed by a fan. The Angels asked for a fan-interference review, but the call stood -- and Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel then retired C.J. Cron to end it for his 17th save.
Ortiz's fifth-inning solo homer helped the Red Sox build a 5-0 lead against Jhoulys Chacin (2-7). Wright (9-5) then surrendered a sixth-inning grand slam to Cron before rain stopped the game for 95 minutes in the bottom of the inning.
Wright lasted five-plus innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Matt Barnes got three outs after the slam, and Junichi Tazawa, Uehara and Kimbrel then pitched an inning apiece.
Mookie Betts also had three hits, while Holt, just off the disabled list, ripped a pair of doubles, scored twice and drove in a run in a 16-hit Boston attack. Bradley, Christian Vazquez and Marco Hernandez added two hits apiece.
Giavotella, Nava, Cron and Mike Trout finished with two hits apiece for Los Angeles. Trout, who also had a walk and stolen base, is 23-for-52 (.442) with 10 extra base hits in his past 13 games.
Chacin gave up five runs on 12 hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Ortiz's homer, his 522nd, broke a three-way tie with Ted Williams, Frank Thomas and Willie McCovey and moved him into 19th place on the all-time home run list. It was also his 2,000th hit in a Red Sox uniform.
Betts opened the first with a double and scored on a pair of groundouts and back-to-back doubles by Holt and Travis Shaw made it 2-0 in the fourth. But Shaw was picked off second base and Betts was caught between first and second after his third hit sent Hernandez to third base.
In the top of the inning, Cron lined a hit into the left field corner and was thrown out at second by Holt.
Ortiz homered with two out in the fifth before Jackie Bradley Jr. singled and scored from first on Holt's second double. With the rain falling, Vazquez singled Holt home and KO'd Chacin.
NOTES: Red Sox manager John Farrell, asked about club president Dave Dombrowski's lack of any kind of vote of confidence this week, said, "I can understand the question, the potential speculation that's out there but our expectation is to win." ... Angels 3B Yunel Escobar missed his seventh straight game with a knee injury but remains active with the hopes he can return this weekend. ... LF Brock Holt (concussion) returned for the Red Sox, but 1B Hanley Ramirez (right side pull) was out and is day-to-day. ... The Angels activated RHP Joe Smith from the disabled list, and he appeared in relief. RHP Mike Morin was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. ... The Red Sox will summon RHP Sean O'Sullivan from Pawtucket to start Sunday's series finale. ... Angels LHP Hector Santiago faces RHP Clay Buchholz on Saturday night. ... The Red Sox staged surprise on-field family reunions for two military families before the game.