Angels 12, Red Sox 5
BOSTON -- The Los Angeles Angels, struggling all season to score runs, exploded for nine in the fifth inning and cruised to a 12-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Catcher Chris Iannetta hit a three-run homer, shortstop Erick Aybar added a two-run shot and center fielder Mike Trout had two hits and a stolen base in the 39-minute inning that chased both right-hander Rick Porcello (4-3) and reliever Matt Barnes.
It was the first time the Angels, who came in next to last in the American League in hitting, scored nine runs in an inning since April 20, 2013 against Detroit -- and Porcello.
The outburst helped LA ace Garrett Richards, but he gave up five runs in six-plus innings. Pitching for the first time at Fenway Park since suffering a serious knee injury covering first on a play against the Red Sox last Aug. 20. Richards (4-2) gave up three runs in the first four innings, including a solo homer by first baseman Mike Napoli, and was chased as five straight batters reached (one on an error) in the seventh.
Richards left with two runs in and the bases loaded in the seventh. Left-hander Jose Alvarez relieved and struck out DH David Ortiz before getting Daniel Nava to ground into a double play as the Red Sox lost their third straight to fall to 19-23.
First baseman Albert Pujols had a solo homer and pop-fly double and Trout added a third single for the Angels.
Nava had replaced left fielder Hanley Ramirez, who was hit on the left hand by a Richards pitch in the fourth inning and left after five with hand soreness. Boston was already without third baseman Pablo Sandoval (knee bruise) and right fielder Shane Victorino (calf).
Right fielder Rusney Castillo, recalled from Triple-A by Boston earlier in the day, was 1-for-4 and dropped a fly ball.
Red Sox fans, who cheered wildly when Castillo caught a fly ball hit by the next hitter, became so bored they started a "Free Tom Brady" chant, honoring the embattled quarterback.
Third baseman Brock Holt had a two-run double and second baseman Dustin Pedroia three singles and an RBI for Boston.
Napoli hit his second homer in four games to give Boston a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Porcello left a runner on second in both the second and third innings -- but the Angels took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Pujols opened with his solo homer and singles by right fielder Kole Calhoun and left fielder Matt Joyce and a walk to Iannetta loaded the bases. Designated hitter Matt Krauss got a run home with a slow grounder.
Holt then came through with his big hit in the bottom of the inning, coming through with his team 0-for-12 with the bases loaded in May and 5-for-53 with runners in scoring position over the last eight games. Napoli tried to score a third run on the hit but center fielder Mike Trout threw him out with a one-bounce throw to the plate.
Back came the Angels, taking advantage of a pair of walks. Trout then singled in a run off Holt's glove and shortstop Xander Bogaerts threw wildly to third to allow the go-ahead run to score. Trout was then caught stealing third, but the call was overturned on a challenge and Trout scored on Calhoun's single. Third baseman David Freese then ripped an RBI double and Porcello was done.
Right-hander Matt Barnes relieved and walked Joyce before Iannetta connected to make it 9-3. Right fielder Rusney Castillo dropped a fly ball and, with two out, Aybar homered, making short work of Barnes.
NOTES: OF Rusney Castillo was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket and put in the Boston lineup in right field on Friday night. OF Jackie Bradley Jr. was returned to Triple-A. ... RHP Garrett Richards said he had no fear of returning to Fenway Park for the first time since sustaining a left knee injury that ended his season last Aug. 20 and caused him to miss the first 15 games of this season. "It sounded like a Pillsbury biscuits tube, you know, when you open it and it explodes?" he said of the injury. "That's what it sounded and felt like, the release of pressure and the vibration going all the way up your leg when it popped. It was the sound of my knee unraveling. It was gross." ... 3B Pablo Sandoval (knee bruise) and RF Shane Victorino (calf) remained out of the Boston lineup in day-to-day situations. ... Angels LHP C.J. Wilson pitches in the second game of the series Saturday night against Red Sox RHP Steven Wright, the second knuckleballer the Angels face in three days after R.A. Dickey on Thursday.