G23: Angels 6, Red Sox 4

Angels  - 111 011 001 - 6  13  0
Red Sox - 011 020 000 - 4  10  0

For his first career start on three days rest Lester's line (5-9-4-2-1, 81) was pretty much on par with his other starts -- too many baserunners and an Angel run in all but one of his five innings.

But the Red Sox slapped Garland around too. Lugo drove in Drew with a two-out single in the second, Cash began the third with a double and scored on Pedroia's sac fly, and Ortiz drilled a line-drive, two-run homer to right in the fifth. The game was tied 4-4 after five innings.

Hansen made his 2008 debut in the sixth. After two quick outs, he surrendered a solo home run to Kotchman. The Angels got an insurance run against Timlin in the ninth. The Red Sox failed to mount a rally against either Speier, Shields or Rodriguez in the last three innings. They had two men on with one out in the eighth, but Lugo grounded into a double play.

Hansen was sent back to Pawtucket after the game. Justin Masterson will make his major league debut when he starts tomorrow's afternoon game.

***

Matsuzaka is the latest Sock to get the flu, so Jon Lester (5.06, 89 ERA+) gets the ball tonight.

Youkilis is out of the lineup tonight with a sore back.

***

Craig Hansen (not Dusty Brown) was called up and David Pauley was sent back to Pawtucket. Hansen has been great this season: In eight appearances over 12.1 innings, he has allowed three hits, four walks and no runs. Hansen, in today's ProJo:

I've gone back to the way I pitched at St. John's. My mechanics have changed. ... I was able to get a lot of things done in spring training that I needed to. Pitching in different situations, getting myself in different situations and pitching my way through it. It helped out a lot.

***

Jon Garland (4.81, 89 ERA+) / Daisuke Matsuzaka (3.14, 143 ERA+)

In 24.1 innings this season, Garland has faced 109 batters -- and struck out only three of them.

             W   L   PCT   GB
Red Sox     15   7  .682  --- 
Orioles     11   9  .550  3.0 
Yankees     11  10  .524  3.5 
Blue Jays   10  11  .476  4.5 
Rays         9  11  .450  5.0

Third-best record in baseball, behind Arizona (15-5, .750) and the Cubs (14-6, .700).