Boston Red Sox defeat Los Angeles Angels, 3-1

When asked before last night’s game about his decision to start David Ortiz, Red Sox manager Terry Francona talked about wanting to put his players in the best possible spot.

Given, for example, a struggling designated hitter, the plan was to put him in against righthanders, against pitchers he has historically hit, in spots where he can come through.

“Trying to put players in a position where they can succeed and trying to put our team in a position where they can succ...

The ball was coming right at Adrian Beltre. But so was the barrel of Torii Hunter’s bat after it snapped off in his hands in the third inning last night at Fenway Park.

Most people would have turned their backs and covered their heads. But a third baseman is baseball’s version of a hockey goalie. Beltre stood his ground and started a double play that ended the inning. The bat hit the ground a few feet away.

“It’s a little scary sometimes,’’ Beltre said after the Red ...

BOSTON (AP) John Lackey focused on the opposing hitters, not their uniforms.

Facing his former team for the first time, Lackey pitched two-hit ball for seven innings and the Boston Red Sox sent the Los Angeles Angels to their sixth straight loss, 3-1 Wednesday night.

"Honestly, it was different facing the jersey, but there's not a whole lot of guys in the lineup that I played with for an extended period of time," Lackey said.

"They know how I am between the lines,...

The Angels got the ol’ double whammy last night.

The pitcher who got away, the former ace of their staff, beat them.

We know the regular season means very little in this regard, but if these American League rivals correct their slow starts and meet in the playoffs, the Angels won’t have John Lackey — the last guy to win them a championship eight years ago — as their postseason ace. The Red Sox will.

The Angels have muddled along with an ERA of more than 5.00 from ...