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ANAHEIM, Calif.
Instant reactions from the Red Sox win.
over the Los Angeles Angels at Angels Stadium Friday night.
1) The Red Sox got their longest road trip of the season off to a strong start, defeating the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 to snap a two-game losing streak.
The Sox took an early lead in the top of the second, added three more in the third and another solo run in the fifth.
The victory also snapped a two-game road skid for the team which ended their last trip with two losses against the lowly Colorado Rockies.
2) Its hard to overstate what Jake Bennett has been able to do for the Red Sox.
The rookie lefty blanked the Angels on just two hits and has now allowed just three unearned runs over his last four outings.
He retired the first 13 hitters he faced, one start after holding the New York Yankees without a hit through the first 15 hitters of the game.
Added to the rotation when Brayan Bello was optioned to Worcester, Bennett has been superb and given the Sox a chance to win almost every one of his starts.
When Bennett was acquired for Luis Perales, it seemed an odd deal, but its worked out better than few could have rightfully expected.
He lost his bid for a shutout in the eighth when Jose Siri connected for a solo homer, then yielded two more hits and another run before being lifted.
3) Friday night marked the first time since he was activated that Romy Gonzalez played in the field, having been limited to DH duties since coming off the IL.
But he made his mark at the plate Friday first with a leadoff triple and a run scored in the second, then when he sliced a second to the right side to score two in the the Red Sox three-run third inning.
He later added a single in the seventh, giving him a three-hit night.
4) In addition to turning things around offensively over the last five weeks, Caleb Durbin has found his power stroke.
Durbin lined a solo homer down the left field line to lead off the Boston fifth for his eighth homer of the year and third in his last eight games.
Since May 28, a little over a month ago, hes homered seven times.
Its all part of the swing adjustment that Durbin made to get the ball in the air more.
Hes doing that and hitting the ball hard.
5) It was a rough night for Nate Eaton.
He got the start in right field as the Red Sox wanted to get Wilyer Abreu a game off his feet and used the DH.
Hitting leadoff, however, Eaton fanned in each of his first three trips to the plate.
Through the first two times through the Red Sox order, he was the only hitter in the Red Sox lineup that Angels starter Reid Detmers struck out.
6) Just in case you think that Red Sox fans are the only ones unhappy with their teams ownership, a Sell the team" chant filled Angel Stadium, armed at LA owner Arte Moreno.
The Angels havent had a winning season since 2015 and hasnt qualified for the postseason since the year before that.
The Angels fired GM Perry Minasian last week, but apparently, that wasnt enough to satisfy the fan base.
7) Aroldis Chapman set a major league record by recording a strikeout in the ninth, thus becoming the all-time MLB leader in strikeouts for a reliever, passing Hall of Fame Hoyt Wilhelm with strikeout No.
1,364.
He opened the ninth by fanning Denzer Guzman.
Chapman also notched his 17th save.
8) In the middle game of the three-game series Saturday, the Red Sox will start RHP Sonny Gray (9-1, 2.69) who will be opposed by LHP Sam Aldegheri (3-3, 4.85) at 9:38 p.m.
Eastern.
- Red Sox Aroldis Chapman breaks MLB record for most reliever strikeouts ever - Red Sox must fill rotation spot left by Connelly Early (elbow), but no decision made yet - Red Sox Willson Contreras, awaiting appeal hearing, looking forward to playing with my guys - Red Sox lineup: Willson Contreras, his suspension on appeal, still at first base - State of the Sox: In (partial) defense of Craig Breslow.