BOSTON — Mike Napoli’s timing at the plate returned at the perfect time Saturday night for the struggling Boston Red Sox.
Napoli smacked two homers and drove in three runs, Steven Wright pitched six-plus solid innings and the Red Sox snapped a three-game losing streak with an 8-3 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.
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WHO: Angels (Santiago 3-2) at Red Sox (Miley 3-4)
WHEN: 1:35 p.m. Sunday
TV: NESN
“It’s been impressive to see what he’s done against that team,” Boston Manager John Farrell said. “I think more importantly for us, he’s on time. It’s more consistent than what we’ve seen in a number of years from Nap. It couldn’t come at a better time.”
Napoli has tormented the Angels since leaving the club that originally drafted him, hitting .327 with 17 homers and 32 RBI in 46 games.
He credits this hot stretch with some adjustments during batting practice.
“I feel pretty good. This is the time where I have to maintain what I’m doing right now in the cage in my BPs,” he said. “I know where my hands have to get. It’s a good feeling having to go in there and compete and not think what’s going wrong with my swing. I’m going to try and keep that muscle memory in the game.”
Napoli’s second homer, a two-run shot that completely left Fenway Park, clearing the Green Monster seats, broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth. It was his third in two days and his fourth in five games.
C. J. Wilson said he didn’t even want to throw a strike on the pitch.
“I was trying to keep it back door at best, maybe throw it a little below the zone or something like that and see if he’d chase,” he said.
But the former Angel just continued his run against his old team.
“I think last year we did a pretty good job against him, times we’ve done OK, and times he’s really swung the bat well against us, so I don’t know,” Angels Manager Mike Scioscia said of Napoli’s success against his team.
Xander Bogaerts had a two-run single and Mookie Betts added two RBI singles for Boston, which had a shuffled batting order with Dustin Pedroia leading off and David Ortiz batting cleanup, moving from his customary third spot.
Kole Calhoun had a two-run double and Mike Trout hit an RBI single for the Angels, who lost for only the fourth time in 11 games.
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