BOSTON (AP) – Bronson Arroyo recovered from a rough beginning, and the Boston Red Sox overcame a three-run deficit with the help of David Ortiz’s two-run single to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 Wednesday night.

Ortiz, whose homer in the bottom of the ninth gave Boston a 3-2 win in Tuesday night’s series opener, tied the game with his single, one pitch after he appeared to swing his bat far enough for a third strike. It was ruled a ball and, after third base umpire Larry Young upheld the call by plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth, Angels manager Mike Scioscia yelled from the dugout and was ejected.

Later in the third inning, Trot Nixon doubled in the go-ahead run.

Arroyo (12-9) gave up three runs and five hits in the first two innings then allowed just three singles in the next six. He even retired the first two batters in each of the first two innings before getting into trouble and finished with two strikeouts and no walks in eight innings.

Mike Timlin retired three batters for his seventh save.

Ervin Santana (8-7) allowed six runs in four innings, dropping to 1-4 with a 9.00 ERA on the road. He’s 7-3 with a 3.30 ERA at home.

The AL East-leading Red Sox improved to 10-3 on their season-long 14-game homestand, winning for the third time when trailing by three runs or more.

They’re a season-high 26 games over .500 and start a three-game series Friday night at the second-place New York Yankees, who trail by four games.

The Angels lost their fifth straight road game and their 11th in their last 12 at Fenway Park.

Their AL West lead was cut to a half-game over Oakland, which overcame a four-run, ninth-inning deficit to beat Seattle.

Arroyo fell behind 2-0 in the first when Vladimir Guerrero tripled in a run and scored on Darin Erstad’s single. Orlando Cabrera’s RBI single made it 3-0 in the second. Then Arroyo retired 18 of his remaining 21 batters he faced without allowing any runners past second base.

The last three Angels hits were singles by Casey Kotchman in the fourth and sixth, and by Jeff DaVanon in the sixth.

Kevin Millar’s ninth homer of the season made it 3-1 in the second, an inning in which Santana struck out the side.

Boston went ahead to stay in the fourth, loading the bases on walks to Alex Cora and Johnny Damon and a single by Edgar Renteria. Ortiz then singled in two runs before Nixon’s double.

Santana gave up two more runs in the fourth on a walk to Bill Mueller, a triple by Cora and a sacrifice fly by Damon.

Notes: The Angels have 26 runs in their last nine games. … DaVanon started in center field for Los Angeles and went 2-for-4. It was his second appearance in 15 games. … Adam Kennedy went 0-for-3 and is 4-for-44 in his last 14 games. … Boston’s 48-21 home record is the best in the majors leagues.

AP-ES-09-07-05 2153EDT


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