G5: Red Sox 5, Angels 4

Red Sox - 000 020 201 - 5 8 0
Angels  - 101 010 001 - 4 8 0

Whew. Los Angeles had the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and Howie Kendrick battled Jonathan Papelbon through a 10-pitch at-bat. Kendrick took two strikes, then fouled off seven straight pitches -- Bot was using both his fastball and slider -- before lining out to Rocco Baldelli in right center field.

Jason Bay hit two home runs, scored three runs and drive in three runs. Mike Lowell hit a two-dong in the fifth.

Bay's first home run gave Boston its first lead of the afternoon, 4-3, lead in the top of the seventh. After the stretch, Terry Francona brought in Ramon Ramirez in relief of Penny (6-5-3-2-2, 86). Ramirez allowed a one-out double, but worked out of trouble. He threw 17 pitches, but Tito sent him back out for the eighth and after he got Kendrick and Bobby Abreu (on a liner that Kevin Youkilis dove for and deflected to Dustin Pedroia, who tossed it to Ramirez at the bag for the 3-4-1 out), it was Bot time.

That's the work of Playoff Assassin Tito! After three losses, the team just grabbed a one-run lead; it's time go with your best and don't eff around. Pitch counts: Ramirez 29 / Bot 39.

***

Brad Penny (2008: 6.27, 68 ERA+; Spring 2009: 12 IP, 3.75) / Joe Saunders (0.00, ∞ ERA+)

Penny will be limited to 85-90 pitches. ... Saunders pitched well -- 6.2-3-0-2-2, 93 -- against Oakland on Tuesday. LA won the season-opener 3-0.

Kevin Youkilis has had at least two hits in all four games:

This is 1/40th of the season. We're going to hit a spell and why not be now? There are bright things to come. We're not worried about it. I know a lot of people back home might be worried about it, [the media] might be worried about it. We're going to hit.

I'm not worried -- no one in his or her right mind should be worried after four games -- but I am annoyed.

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More info later today.