(Sports Network) - The Boston Red Sox try to take a commanding two games-to- none lead over the LA Angels of Anaheim tonight in Game 2 of the American League Division Series at Angel Stadium. Boston won its 10th straight postseason game against the Angels in Game 1 of this best-of-five set on Wednesday, as Jason Bay's two-run homer in the sixth inning propelled the Red Sox to a 4-1 win.

Bay, who was acquired by Boston from Pittsburgh on July 31 in the three-team trade that sent Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers, also doubled in his postseason debut. Jacoby Ellsbury had three hits with an RBI and a run scored, and stole a pair of bases and made a spectacular diving catch for the defending World Series champions.

Boston starter Jon Lester (1-0) seemed to get stronger as the game wore on, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the opening frame and surrendering an unearned run in the third on six hits overall. The southpaw struck out seven and walked one through seven innings.

The Red Sox ran their overall postseason winning streak to eight and with a win this evening, they will hold the longest postseason winning streak against one opponent in baseball history, surpassing Oaklands run against Boston from 1988-2003.

Jonathan Papelbon continued to pitch with ice in his veins, as the Red Sox closer worked a scoreless ninth for the save and extended his career postseason scoreless streak to 15 2/3 innings in 10 appearances.

Angels starter John Lackey (0-1) worked out of trouble when he needed to, but was touched for Bay's two-run homer in the sixth, one of just four hits allowed by the right-hander. He walked three and struck out five over 6 2/3 innings.

Torii Hunter drove in LA's lone run and was one of four players to collect a pair of hits for the Angels, who clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs with an MLB-best 100-62 regular season record.

The Angels were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, left nine men on base and failed to muster an extra-base hit in losing for the eighth straight time in postseason play.

Trying to extend the Red Sox' postseason run this evening will be Japanese right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka, who finished the year 18-3 with a 2.90 ERA despite some control problems. He led the AL with 94 walks and failed to get out of the sixth inning in 14 of his 29 starts this season.

Matsuzaka, though, was especially good on the road, where he went 9-0 in 13 starts with a 2.37 ERA and held opponents to a .178 clip at the plate.

The 28-year-old hurler allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings of Boston's Game 2 ALDS win last year against the Angels. He was tagged with the loss against them earlier this season, though, surrendering six runs and seven hits in five innings back on July 28.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, hopes right-hander Ervin Santana can avoid putting the team in an almost insurmountable 2-0 deficit with two straight games at Fenway Park looming.

Santana enjoyed his best season as a pro this year, going 16-7 with a 3.49 ERA. However, he was just 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA in 15 starts at home this year.

In four starts against the Red Sox, Santana is 1-2 with a 5.73 ERA.

Boston began its charge towards its seventh World Series title with a three- game sweep of the Angels a year ago. That whitewash followed up another sweep by the Red Sox, who disposed of the Halos in three games back in 2004 en route to their first world championship since 1918.

These teams also met up in 1986, when Boston rallied back from a three games- to-one deficit to win a dramatic seventh game. That means, of course, that the Red Sox have now won 10 straight postseason games against the Angels.

Los Angeles, though, dominated the regular season matchup with the Red Sox, winning the final eight of its nine meetings with them.

The Angels were the first 100-game winners in baseball since the 2005 St. Louis Cardinals and the first in the American League since the 2004 New York Yankees. The Angels are also the first team since those Cardinals to win 50 (or more) games at home and on the road.

Unfortunately, the 2005 Cardinals lost to the Houston Astros in the NLCS, while the 2004 Yankees lost to the Red Sox in the ALCS.

This series will shift to Fenway Park for Game 3 on Sunday.



Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved