Red Sox 8, Angels 3
BOSTON -- Mike Napoli feasted on a 3-1 changeup from a tiring C.J. Wilson, taking the left-hander deep on his 107th pitch of the night for a two-run homer to help lead the Boston Red Sox to an 8-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night at Fenway Park.
It was the seventh home run of the season for the first baseman, who also hit a solo blast in the second inning. Both of Napoli's homers sailed over the Green Monster in left field, giving him 14 career multi-homer games after his fourth long ball in the last five games.
The suddenly surging Napoli, who was dropped to the sixth spot in the lineup Friday, is batting .389 (7-for-18) with five RBIs in the past five games.
Boston (20-23) snapped a three-game losing streak and has a chance Sunday to win its first series since taking two of three in Oakland from May 11 to 13.
Right-handed knuckleballer Steven Wright (2-1) contributed 6 1/3 quality innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out two for Boston. Right-hander Koji Uehara, who has converted seven straight saves, pitched a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation.
Wilson (2-3) struck out six but labored through seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and three walks for the Angels (22-21). Making matters worse for Los Angeles, right-handed reliever Mike Morin left the game with a left oblique strain after throwing six pitches in the seventh.
It looked like the Angels were in for another big night after a three-hit first inning produced a pair of runs. After first baseman Albert Pujols' ground-rule double put runners on second and third with one out, right fielder Kole Calhoun doubled off the wall in left to clear the bases.
Napoli cut Boston's deficit in half, sending a full-count two-seam fastball into the Monster seats for a solo home run with two down in the second. It was the first baseman's sixth home run of the season and second in as many days after he hit a solo shot Friday.
Right fielder Shane Victorino left the game after aggravating a left calf injury -- an ailment that forced him to miss time earlier this week -- while pursuing a fly ball in the third inning.
Center fielder Mookie Betts pinch-hit for the right fielder with one out in the third and tied the game with an RBI single to right.
David Ortiz had a chance to break open the game after left fielder Hanley Ramirez singled to load the bases, but the designated hitter grounded into an inning-ending 3-6-1 double play.
Xander Bogaerts had only one hit in four at-bats, but the Boston shortstop made his lone hit count, bringing a pair of runners home on a grounder to right with two outs in the seventh.
Mike Trout (1-for-4) singled to left to score the Angels' third and final run of the game in the eighth. Shortstop Erick Aybar (2-for-4) was the only Los Angeles batter to have a multi-hit night.
Blake Swihart was credited with a single and an RBI after the catcher's ground-ball single to right let third baseman Brock Holt score from third with one down in the eighth. Betts plated Swihart with a liner to left two at-bats later, capping the scoring for Boston.
Napoli (2-for-3 with a walk), Betts (2-for-4) and left fielder Hanley Ramirez (2-for-4) each had multi-hit outings for the Red Sox.
NOTES: Los Angeles had won 11 of its previous 13 games at Fenway Park. ... DH Marc Krauss was the only current Angels batter who had faced Boston starter RHP Steven Wright before Saturday, going 1-for-1. ... Los Angeles starter LHP C.J. Wilson was 6-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 10 starts against the Red Sox. ... Boston LF Hanley Ramirez returned to the lineup after leaving Friday's series opener because of a left hand injury. ... 3B Pablo Sandoval was available off the bench and would have started against a right-handed pitcher, Boston manager John Farrell said. ... The Red Sox recalled RHP Heath Hembree from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned LHP Robbie Ross Jr. to Pawtucket. ... Angels LHP Hector Santiago (3-2, 2.25 ERA) will oppose Red Sox LHP Wade Miley (3-4, 5.10) on Sunday in the series finale.