Hey look, J.D. Drew's alive

Game 2 of the ALDS was exactly the type of game the pre-2004 World Series champion Red Sox would have lost. Boston jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first and looked like they would cruise to a commanding 2-0 series lead.

However, the Angels scored one in the first and slowly started to come back until they eventually tied it at five in the eighth. The script has changed for the Red Sox since that historical win over the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS. This team is clutch. Everyone seemingly makes a big play at one time or another. Nobody is afraid of the moment.

These days the Chicago Cubs and in this case the Angels seem to be playing the role of the hapless losers (aka the old Red Sox). Boston won tonight 7-5 as J.D. Drew crushed a two-run homer in the ninth off all-world closer Francisco Rodriguez.

Josh Beckett pitches in game 3 back at Fenway as the Sox look to sweep the Angels and extend their MLB record 11 game win streak over Anaheim in the postseason.

Time to start taking the Angels seriously

After winning its sixth game in a row against the Red Sox last night (6 out of 7 this season), the Los Angeles Angels are looking pretty legit.

Their preference of small-ball has fallen apart in recent playoff history but they used the long ball to their advantage in last night's 7-5 win at Fenway.

Dice-K (11-2) went five innings, giving up six earned runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

The better Weaver-Jered (9-8)-was good enough to win. He lasted 5.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts.

Los Angeles (65-40) took a 1-0 lead in the second on Juan Rivera's sacrifice fly. Boston (61-46) came back with two in the fourth on Manny Ramirez's two-run single.

Everything fell apart for Matsuzaka and the Red Sox in the sixth as Casey Kotchman had a two-run homer, Torii Hunter hit a three-run blast and Jeff Mathis's squeeze made it 7-2 before the Sox could blink.

Jed Lowrie's ground-rule double to right scored David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs, walk), making it 7-3 Angels in the sixth. Jacoby Ellsbury came up later in the inning with the bases loaded and two outs but struck out on a pitch in the dirt against Angels rookie reliever Jose Arredondo.

Ellsbury came through in the eighth with an RBI single off Scot Shields, cutting the lead to three (7-4 Angels).

For yucks, Manny hit a bomb (reminiscent of his walk-off in the 2007 ALCS) in the ninth off Francisco Rodriguez. That was the only blemish though for K-Rod, who recorded his league-leading 44th save of the season.

Sox in desperate need of some mango salsa

Since David Ortiz injured his wrist on May 31, the Red Sox have played over .500 but it's clear to see that they lack a certain punch in their lineup, particularly late in games.

Ortiz is the most clutch hitter in baseball so it's no surprise that Boston continues to lose close games without him.

Yesterday afternoon, the Angels defeated the Sox, 4-2, in a game that Boston led, gave away then had a chance to take back before falling short.

Josh Beckett (9-6) went the distance and was lights out, except for the seventh inning. Beckett gave up all four runs in the seventh. For the afternoon, he gave up nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Angels (59-38) all-star Joe Saunders didn't pick up the win but he gave his team a quality start: 6.2 innings, six hits, two runs, three walks and a strikeout. He turned it over to the normally lights out Angels bullpen and they didn't disappoint the home crowd.

Rookie Jose Arredono improved to 4-0, after recording just one out. The Sox (57-42) had set-up whiz Scot Shields on the ropes, ditto for the immortal K-Rod in the ninth, but each time Los Angeles escaped without allowing any runs.

Boston scored its only two runs of the game in the second as Manny Ramirez doubled, followed by Kevin Youkilis's 17th home run (career high) of the season.

Vladimir Guerrero opened the seventh with a solo shot off Beckett and pinch hitter Erick Aybar came through with the hit of the game-a bases clearing triple. The Sox played it by the book, walking Howie Kendrick with one out and runners on first and third to get to Aybar. Unfortunately, the utilityman ripped a grounder down the line in right past Youkilis.

In the eighth, Boston loaded the bases with rookie Jed Lowrie coming to the plate. Shields walked two in the inning but he quickly regained his control, whiffing Lowrie on three pitches. Thanks for playing.

With one out in the ninth, Dustin Pedroia (2 hits) singled to right before J.D. Drew worked a walk. Just like they'd prefer, Manny and Mike Lowell came up with the chance to tie it up or put the Sox ahead. Didn't happen though as Manny popped to second and Lowell flew out on the first pitch to left.

K-Rod now has 39 saves and is well on his way to breaking Bobby Thigpen's record of 57.

Tim Wakefield pitches against Jon Garland this afternoon as Boston tries to avoid the sweep.