Angels rally to beat Red Sox 7-5

Joe Saunders pitched six solid innings to win his fourth consecutive decision, and Gary Matthews Jr. singled in the go-ahead runs in the Angels' four-run seventh inning on Thursday as Los Angeles beat the Boston Red Sox 7-5. Saunders (4-0) left trailing 3-1. The Angels rallied in the seventh, when three Red Sox relievers allowed four singles and three walks to give Los Angeles a 5-3 lead.

Scot Shields pitched a perfect eighth, then gave up David Ortiz's two-run homer with two outs in the ninth. Francisco Rodriguez got Manny Ramirez on a deep fly to center to end the game and earn his ninth save. A day after hitting two solo homers in a win over the Red Sox, Matthews had three hits and three RBIs. He drove in a pair with a bases-loaded single in the seventh after the Angels rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie it. (More Boston Red Sox stories.)