All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' 9-7 win over the Angels, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
HEADLINES
Chang to the rescue: To say that Yu Chang was an unlikely offensive hero Saturday would be a massive understatement. Chang came into the game with no hits this season in 16 at-bats and saw that slump grow when he popped up in his first plate appearance. Dating back to last season, that made Chang 0-for-28 dating back to last season. But Chang soon turned that around with a two-run homer in the fourth, and later came through with an equally big two-run single in the eighth inning as the Sox rallied to take the game from the Angels. "I'm so happy that the team gave me that consistent opportunity (despite the hitless streak) to play every day even when I didn't hit in the beginning,'' said Chang through a translator. "I'm so happy. What the coaches expressed to me is to not think about the past. They want me to have the same routine and have the same consistency.'' Whatever the approach, it worked Saturday.
Sox twice benefit from unusual calls: The Angels aided and abetted the Sox' rally in the eighth inning in a big way. After pinch-hitter Raimel Tapia lined out to left field, he was awarded first base after catcher Matt Thaiss was called for catcher's interference after Tapia's bat clipped Thaiss's glove. That gave the Sox first-and-second and no out instead of a man on first and one out. Then, incredibly, later in the inning, Thaiss was nabbed for the infraction again, as pinch-hitter Reese McGuire was awarded first base after a foul, setting up a bases-loaded situation for Chang, who delivered a hard single to left, putting the Red Sox ahead to say. Strangely, Red Sox catcher Connor Wong was flagged for catcher's interference back in the second inning, though that one didn't cost the Sox a run. Thaiss wasn't nearly so lucky.
Sox tempting fate by not getting more innings from their starters: Red Sox starting pitchers are not providing any length so far this season. Oddly, it hasn't caught up to the Sox yet, but it threatens to do so eventually. Saturday starter Nick Pivetta provided only four innings, meaning the Sox have not had a starter get past the fifth inning in any of their 15 games to date. In six of those 15 games, Red Sox starters have failed to go beyond the fourth inning. Naturally, that's placed a big burden on the bullpen. Even before Saturday's game, Alex Cora bemoaned that his team would likely be short in the bullpen. Somehow, five relievers combined to give the Sox five innings while allowing just one run, but at some point, that's going to catch up to them.
TURNING POINT
Trailing by a run in the bottom of the fourth and with two outs, Chang's two-run homer to left-center not only snapped his hitless streak, but it also delivered a jolt for the Red Sox offense, who were forced to play from behind from the very first inning. The homer gave the Red Sox their first lead of the game at 5-4, and though they would relinquish it in the next half inning, it gave the Sox a sense that the game was far from lost.
TWO UP
Rob Refsnyder: Refsnyder reached base four different times in five plate appearances with two hits and two walks and a run scored.
Kenley Jansen: For the second straight game, the Sox closer made things look easy in the ninth, retiring the side in order. He's set down all six hitters he's faced in the series to date.
TWO DOWN
Christian Arroyo: The second baseman was 0-for-3 with two weak infield popups and a strikeout and is batting just .159 for the season.
Richard Bleier: The lefty turned in his second straight rough appearance, throwing two wild pitches and allowing a run in his only inning of work.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"It was an interesting win, but we'll take it ...T hat's baseball.'' Alex Cora on the Sox being aided by two catcher's interference calls in the three-run eighth.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
* Kenley Jansen needed just seven pitches to record the save, the 395th of his career.
* Connor Wong enjoyed his first career multi-hit game with a single and double.
* Rafael Devers has seven homers, the most in the major leagues.
* The Red Sox have averaged 6.1 runs per game at home this season.
* The Sox have come from behind in five of their seven wins this year.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox and Angels play the third game of their four-game series Sunday at 1:35 p.m. with RHP Garrett Whitlock (0-1, 9.00) vs. LHP Reid Detmers (0-0, 5.59).