Boston’s bullpen gets the job done, barely, against Anaheim.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Chad Fox isn’t the regular closer for the Boston Red Sox. It just appears that way.

Fox got the last four outs against the Anaheim Angels on Friday night for his third save in four attempts this season, preserving the Red Sox’s 5-2 victory.

Brandon Lyon and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield have one save each in Boston’s much-maligned closer-by-committee format, which became necessary once the front office decided not to offer salary arbitration to last year’s closer, Ugueth Urbina.

“The subject has been beaten to death, but that’s fine because we’re all used to it. And we expected it because we don’t have a true closer,” said Fox, a right-hander who recorded his other two big league saves two seasons ago with Milwaukee.

“I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t want the closer’s job, because I do. But we have arms down there that, on any given night, can get it done. So it’s not a situation where we need just one guy to step up and say he’s the closer. We can put anyone in there,” Fox said.

Mike Timlin relieved for Boston after seven scoreless innings of five-hit ball by Casey Fossum (2-1), who stranded two runners at third base in the first three innings. The Angels got four two-out hits off Timlin in the eighth, including RBI singles by pinch-hitter Jeff DaVanon and Tim Salmon.

But Fox came on with the tying run at the plate and struck out cleanup hitter Garret Anderson.

“He’s a good solid fastball hitter and he’s strong. So in that situation, I’m thinking he’s looking for one thing – a fastball pretty much anywhere,” Fox said. “But I had my slider and curve ball working in the pen, and I just felt that if I didn’t overthrow it, things would be a lot better. I threw the curve on 2-2 and he swung through it.”

Fox got into his own jam in the ninth, walking Adam Kennedy and giving up a bloop single to Shawn Wooten. But Scott Spiezio flied out and Bengie Molina grounded into a double play, as the Angels lost for the eighth time in 11 games.

They also lost two-time All-Star third baseman Troy Glaus in the fourth inning with an infected toe on his left foot. The World Series MVP, who was examined earlier Friday by Dr. Phil Kwong, took himself out of the game after running out a single.

“He’ll be out for tomorrow and we’ll just play it by ear to see when he can go,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s an infection, so we know what we’re dealing with. Hopefully it’s going to clear up in a couple of days.”

Angels starter Jarrod Washburn (1-3) allowed five runs and six hits in seven innings, including a two-run homer in the sixth by Shea Hillenbrand and an RBI single by Hillenbrand in the fourth. Washburn, who last year became the first Angels pitcher since 1991 to win 18 games, has allowed at least four earned runs in four of his first five outings.

“My command isn’t very good, I’m falling behind guys and I’m not throwing inside strikes right now,” Washburn said. “That’s why I’m giving up bullets at my head.”

Washburn was referring to the spectacular grab he made in the sixth inning of a line drive by Bill Mueller that was heading straight for his right ear. “I don’t know about instinct, it was more of a reaction,” Washburn said. “You see it coming at your face, you try to do something. I’m lucky it went in the glove. My hand hurts like hell, but by head is all right.”

Damian Jackson, starting in CF because of Johnny Damon’s 1-for-16 career numbers against Washburn, threw out David Eckstein at the plate in the first inning as he tried to score from second on Salmon’s single,

. … Boston’s Kevin Millar, who hit safely in his first 14 games this season, was 1-for-23 before singling his last two times up.

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