BOSTON — The Los Angeles Angels, struggling all season to score runs, exploded for nine in the fifth inning and cruised to a 12-5 victory over the slumping Boston Red Sox on Friday night.
Catcher Chris Iannetta hit a three-run homer, shortstop Erick Aybar added a two-run shot and center fielder Mike Trout had two hits and a stolen base in the 39-minute inning that chased both right-hander Rick Porcello (4-3) and reliever Matt Barnes.
It was the first time the Angels, who came in next to last in the American League in hitting, scored nine runs in an inning since April 20, 2013 against Detroit — and Porcello.
The outburst helped LA ace Garrett Richards, but he gave up five runs in six-plus innings. Pitching for the first time at Fenway Park since suffering a serious knee injury covering first on a play against the Red Sox last Aug. 20. Richards (4-2) gave up three runs in the first four innings, including a solo homer by first baseman Mike Napoli, and was chased as five straight batters reached (one on an error) in the seventh.
Richards left with two runs in and the bases loaded in the seventh. Left-hander Jose Alvarez relieved and struck out DH David Ortiz before getting Daniel Nava to ground into a double play as the Red Sox lost their third straight to fall to 19-23.
First baseman Albert Pujols had a solo homer and pop-fly double and Trout added a third single for the Angels.
Nava had replaced left fielder Hanley Ramirez, who was hit on the left hand by a Richards pitch in the fourth inning and left after five with hand soreness. Boston was already without third baseman Pablo Sandoval (knee bruise) and right fielder Shane Victorino (calf).
Right fielder Rusney Castillo, recalled from Triple-A by Boston earlier in the day, was 1-for-4 and dropped a fly ball.
Red Sox fans, who cheered wildly when Castillo caught a fly ball hit by the next hitter, became so bored they started a “Free Tom Brady” chant, honoring the embattled quarterback.
Third baseman Brock Holt had a two-run double and second baseman Dustin Pedroia three singles and an RBI for Boston.
Napoli hit his second homer in four games to give Boston a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
Porcello left a runner on second in both the second and third innings — but the Angels took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Pujols opened with his solo homer and singles by right fielder Kole Calhoun and left fielder Matt Joyce and a walk to Iannetta loaded the bases. Designated hitter Matt Krauss got a run home with a slow grounder.
Holt then came through with his big hit in the bottom of the inning, coming through with his team 0-for-12 with the bases loaded in May and 5-for-53 with runners in scoring position over the last eight games. Napoli tried to score a third run on the hit but center fielder Mike Trout threw him out with a one-bounce throw to the plate.
Back came the Angels, taking advantage of a pair of walks. Trout then singled in a run off Holt’s glove and shortstop Xander Bogaerts threw wildly to third to allow the go-ahead run to score. Trout was then caught stealing third, but the call was overturned on a challenge and Trout scored on Calhoun’s single. Third baseman David Freese then ripped an RBI double and Porcello was done.
Right-hander Matt Barnes relieved and walked Joyce before Iannetta connected to make it 9-3. Right fielder Rusney Castillo dropped a fly ball and, with two out, Aybar homered, making short work of Barnes.
Rangers 10, Yankees 9
NEW YORK — Designated hitter Prince Fielder homered twice, including a three-run homer in the top of the third inning, as the Texas Rangers held on for a 10-9 victory on Friday night over the New York Yankees.
Fielder had his 26th career multi-homer game and second straight against the Yankees. His last one was April 5, 2013, for Detroit against the Yankees.
First baseman Mitch Moreland homered and right fielder Shin-Soo Choo had an RBI single for the Rangers, who improved to 9-3 in their last 12 road games and equaled a season high with their seven-run third against New York right-hander Michael Pineda (5-2).
Second baseman Thomas Field added a two-run double as Texas reached double digits in runs for the third time this season. Those runs proved crucial when Texas staggered to the finish.
The Rangers also scored three unearned runs in the third, capitalizing on miscues by Pineda and shortstop Didi Gregorius.
Catcher Brian McCann had an RBI double and Gregorius hit a three-run homer in the fourth for the Yankees.
Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez had an RBI single that gave him 1,992 for his career, tying him with Hall of Famer Babe Ruth for fourth all time.
Pinch-hitter Garrett Jones inched the Yankees closer with a three-run homer in the eighth.
Rangers right-hander Colby Lewis (4-2) was credited with the win despite allowing five runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Sam Freeman retired Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira for the final out of the seventh and Texas added two runs in the eighth that proved to be important when Freeman put two on with nobody out for Tanner Scheppers, who served up a three-run shot to Jones.
Scheppers faced the tying run but retired right fielder Carlos Beltran. Ross Ohlendorf gave up a solo home run to Teixeira but managed to post his first career save by getting shortstop Stephen Drew on a ground ball that deflected off him to second base.
Pitching on six days rest, Pineda allowed seven runs (four earned) and eight hits in six innings.
Pineda issued his first walk in 82 batters when he gave up a free pass to catcher Robinson Chirinos, putting runners at first and second with nobody out in the third.
Pineda was charged with a throwing error on Field’s sacrifice attempt and Texas took a 2-0 lead when left fielder Delino DeShields hit a ground ball that took a high hop and went off Gregorius’ glove into left field.
Texas extended the lead on a base hit to left by Choo. One pitch later, Fielder crushed a first-pitch slider into the second deck in right field for a three-run homer and a 6-0 edge.
Moreland then increased the lead to 7-0 by turning on a 1-1 fastball and hitting it into the second deck, a few rows past Fielder’s shot.
The home runs marked the second time Texas hit back-to-back homers this month. The Rangers also did it May 15.
The Yankees scored their first run with one out in the fourth when McCann’s double to right went past Choo, who lost his footing on the play. New York was within 7-4 when Gregorius hit his first home run of the season on a 1-0 pitch.