Baseball

Masataka Yoshida Hits an RBI Single; Home Runs Help Red Sox Ring Up 12-2 Win over Angels

AP Photo/Alex Gallardo
Boston Red Sox’s Masataka Yoshida, right, hits an RBI single next to Los Angeles Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe and umpire Phil Cuzzi (10) during the sixth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Sunday, April 7, 2024.

Reuters

13:57 JST, April 8, 2024

Tanner Houck threw six scoreless innings and was backed by an offense that hit four home runs as the Boston Red Sox cruised to a 12-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon in Anaheim, Calif., in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Houck (2-0) logged six scoreless innings in his first start of the season against Oakland last Monday, and he followed up with another impressive performance, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out seven. He has 17 strikeouts with only two walks across his two starts.

The Red Sox offense had 12 hits in all, including the four homers. Boston hit nine home runs in the series.

Reese McGuire’s three-run homer in the sixth inning essentially put the game out of reach, putting Boston up 7-0. McGuire finished the day with five RBIs.

Tyler O’Neill, who hit two homers on Friday, added his fifth homer of the season, tying the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts for the major league lead. Rafael Devers and David Hamilton also went deep for Boston.

The homers by Hamilton, Devers and O’Neill all came in the third inning against Angels starter Chase Silseth (0-1) and were the only hits Silseth allowed in his five innings.

Hamilton’s home run was a bonus for the Red Sox. Called up Saturday to replace injured shortstop Trevor Story, Hamilton is known for his defense. In 15 major league games last season, he hit just .121 (4-for-33). But Hamilton went 2-for-4 on Sunday from the No. 9 spot.

The closest the Angels came to scoring against Houck came in the third inning. Anthony Rendon led off with a double and went to third on a groundout by Nolan Schanuel. Mike Trout followed with a walk and stole second.

But with runners on second and third and one out, the Angels couldn’t push across a run. Houck struck out Taylor Ward and got Brandon Drury to ground out to end the threat.

The Angels’ first run of the game came on a solo shot by Trout — his fourth homer of the season — in the eighth inning. Los Angeles added a run in the ninth on a wild pitch.