By Sean McAdam
CSNNE.com
BOSTON -- If only the Red Sox could figure out a way to play the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim every night.
The Red Sox bashed the Angels for the second straight night on Tuesday, 7-3, pushing their record against the Angels to a perfect 6-0 this season. Since the start of the 2010, the Sox are 15-1 against them.
Jon Lester won his fourth straight start, improving to 4-1 this year. He pitched seven innings and allowed just one run on six hits.
The Sox rallied from behind to score twice against Dan Haren in the sixth. Singles from Adrian Gonzalez and Jed Lowrie produced the runs.
Following a run-scoring double by Jarrod Saltalamacchia in the seventh, the Sox tacked on four more in the eighth with homers by Gonzalez -- his first after 96 at-bats -- David Ortiz and Marco Scutaro.
Haren took the loss. He has two losses this year and Jered Weaver one -- all at the hands of the Red Sox.
Boston Red Sox
Player of the Game: Jon Lester
Lester won his fourth straight start, limiting the Angels to a single run over seven innings to improve to 4-1.
He struck out 11, marking the 15th time in his career that he has registered double-digit strikeouts.
After allowing a solo homer to Mark Trumbo in the second inning, Lester permitted just one more baserunner into scoring position the rest of the way.
Honorable Mention: Adrian Gonzalez
Gonzalez had a run-scoring single in the sixth to account for the first Red Sox run of the night. He then added a solo homer to lead off the eighth inning, chasing Angels starter Dan Haren.
The homer was his first as a member of the Red Sox at Fenway and just the second of the season overall, coming 96 at-bats after hitting his first.
The Goat: Hisanori Takahashi
Takahashi entered with no outs in the bottom of the eighth and the Angels trailing 4-1. Four batters -- and two homers later -- the Red Sox lead was 7-1 and the game was effectively over.
Turning Point: Saltalamacchia Breaks it Open
In the seventh inning, with the Sox clinging to a 2-1 lead, Jarrod Saltalamacchia belted a double high off the wall in left-center, scoring Carl Crawford and pushing the Red Sox lead to 4-1.
By the Numbers: 1.54
Since being rocked for six runs on Opening Day, Jon Lester has compiled a 1.54 ERA over his last five starts.
Quote of Note:
"Was I concerned? Well, I knew I'd hit another one before the end of the year.'' -- Adrian Gonzalez after snapping a homerless streak that lasted 96 at-bats.
Sean McAdam can be reached at smcadam@comcastsportsnet.com. Follow Sean on Twitter at http:twitter.comsean_mcadam.