LA Angels of Anaheim (22-21) at Boston Red Sox (20-23), 1:35 p.m. (ET)
(SportsNetwork.com) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will wrap up a 10-game road trip when they take on the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park Sunday in the finale of a three-game series.
Wade Miley will try to defend his home turf after a strong start in his last outing against the Rangers. He'll battle with Hector Santiago, who gets the starting nod for the Angels.
The 27-year-old Santiago has pitched well in his eight outings to start the 2015 campaign, surrendering just 14 runs (12 earned) in 48 innings of work. He owns a 3-2 record headed into the weekend with a 2.25 earned run average with 44 strikeouts.
The Angels starter completed seven innings on Tuesday against Toronto, where he allowed two runs (one earned) and fanned five batters in the 3-2 Los Angeles victory.
In four games versus Boston in his career (three starts), Santiago has struggled a bit. He's 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA and eight runs given up in 18 2/3 innings. But the Sox are batting just .182 against him in that span.
Miley was roughed up earlier this season in his first go-around with the Red Sox since the team acquired him in the offseason. But he's coming off two of his best starts to the season, so there's reason for optimism. He heads into Sunday's battle with a 3-4 record and a 5.10 ERA.
Miley tied for his deepest run of the season on Tuesday against Texas when he hurled seven innings of two-run ball, adding seven strikeouts to seven hits allowed. The Red Sox beat the Rangers, 4-3.
It's clear the lefty is still getting used to Fenway Park, where he is 1-2 with a 6.81 ERA in three starts this season.
The Red Sox sought some revenge Saturday night for Friday's lopsided loss to the Angels. Boston was able to generate some offense in an 8-3 victory, thanks in large part to Mike Napoli.
The first baseman clubbed a solo home run in the second inning after Los Angeles jumped ahead 2-0 in the first. He also crushed a two-run shot in the sixth to give the hosts a 4-2 advantage. Napoli finished the game with three RBI and two runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts contributed a two-run single in the seventh inning that allowed his team to grab a 6-2 lead. Blake Swihart and Mookie Betts each drove in a run in the eighth.
The other big story for the Sox, who ended a three-game skid, was starter Steven Wright. The knuckleball pitcher went 6 1/3 innings and gave up two runs (both in the first), then settled down nicely the rest of the way. He got the win, while C.J. Wilson (six innings, seven hits and four earned runs) was hit with the loss.
Mike Trout ripped an RBI single to left-center in the eighth inning for his only hit of the night. He and Kole Calhoun plated the runs for the Angels.
Heading into Sunday's rubber match, the Angels have still won eight of their past 11 against the Red Sox dating back to last season.