Drew's homer lifts Red Sox over Angels

J.D. Drew hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning off closer Francisco Rodriguez to lead the visiting Boston Red Sox to a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels in their American League Division series.

Drew's blast gives the Red Sox a commanding 2-0 series lead, and the team can eliminate the Angels when the clubs travel to Boston's Fenway Park on Sunday (7:05 p.m. ET).

This was huge," Drew said. "We were in a spot: tie ball game. They had seemingly had the momentum."

The Red Sox send Josh Beckett to the mound in the hope of finishing off Los Angeles. His start was pushed back last Sunday after it was learned the right-hander strained his oblique muscle on the 40th pitch of a side session.

Boston won its 11th consecutive post-season game against the Angels, outscoring them 80-33 and setting the record for most post-season victories in a row over one opponent. The Red Sox won their ninth consecutive post-season game overall.

Boston swept the Angels in the first round in 2004 and last year, both times en route to World Series titles.

"What happened in '04 or 1986 does not matter to us," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "We set out to win today's game. It was difficult, but we did it. Now we'll go prepare for the next game."

David Ortiz doubled off Rodriguez to begin the ninth and was taken out of the game in favour of the speedier Coco Crisp. The move didn't make a difference as Drew, hampered by a bad back, smashed a Rodriguez changeup over the right-field wall.

Drew finished the game with three hits, three runs batted in and two runs.

Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon then shut the door on the Angels in the bottom of the ninth.

"There is a challenge in front of us and the only way to meet it is going to be pitch by pitch, inning by inning on Sunday," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "We played well in their park all year, and we have to do it now instead."

Rodriguez, who broke the single-season save record with 62, looked anything but dominant in the final inning.

Canadian Jason Bay made another impact for the Red Sox on Friday, drilling a three-run homer in the first inning. The Trail, B.C., native hit a two-run shot off Los Angeles ace John Lackey to erase a 1-0 deficit in Game 1 two nights earlier.

On Friday, the Angels battled back from a 4-0 deficit and tied the game 5-5 in the eighth when Mark Teixeira's fly ball to centre scored Chone Figgins.

L.A.'s struggling offence continued sputter as they stranded 11 men, all in the first seven innings. The Angels are 4-for-21 (.190) with runners in scoring position in the two losses, stranding 20 runners overall.

Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury gave Boston a 5-1 lead in the fourth inning, doubling to deep right to score Alex Cora.

Figgins responded for the Angels in their at-bat, singling home catcher Jeff Mathis.

Hunter brought L.A. to within two runs the following inning as he roped a Matsuzaka pitch to left field to score Teixeira.

While Matsuzaka struggled in the fifth, he retired three straight Angel batters after the Hunter hit to prevent more runs from crossing the plate.

But the Angels wouldn't go down easy and scored another run in the seventh cut the lead to 5-4. Relievers Hideki Okajima and Justin Masterson loaded the bases before the latter hurler walked in Teixeira. Masterson was able to strike out Erick Aybar.