Bay's two home runs help Red Sox beat Angels
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Jason Bay smashed two home runs to help the Boston Red Sox hold off the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 Saturday.
Bay put the Red Sox ahead to stay at 4-3 with a two-run homer in the seventh, then hit a solo-shot in the ninth.
"Thankfully, we get the tack-on run or we're probably still playing," Red Sox manager Terry Francona told reporters.
Los Angeles pulled within 5-4 on Torii Hunter's leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded when Howie Kendrick flied out to right to end the game.
Mike Lowell also hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who ended a three-game losing streak.
The game was the second for the Angels since the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart in a car crash on Thursday. The Angels beat the Red Sox 6-3 on Friday following a tribute to Adenhart.
Mike Napoli hit two solo home runs for the Angels in the third and fifth innings. Their other run came from on a ground out in the first.
Brad Penny, making his American League debut, was credited with the win. The former Dodgers pitcher went six innings, giving up five hits and three runs. He struck out two and walked two.
Standout closer Jonathan Papelbon earned the save despite struggling in the ninth.
Papelbon gave up a double to Kendry Morales after the home run to Hunter and walked Napolis with one out.
Erick Aybar struck out before Chone Figgins walked to load the bases. Kendrick then hit seven foul balls on an 0-2 count before flying out.
"After the fifth or sixth or seventh one, I was kind of giggling out there," Papelbon said. "It was kind of one of those moments where you're like, 'Man, how many more foul balls is this guy going to hit?' It was dramatic and fun and intense."
Joe Saunders took the loss, pitching seven innings. He gave up seven hits and four runs, including Bay's two-run homer.
"I was kicking myself after that pitch," Saunders said. "I failed to execute that one pitch, and I think that was the difference in the game."
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Alastair Himmer)
