ANGELS DON'T GET SWEPT UP AT FENWAY RALLY IN 2ND GAME, SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER GAME 1: BOSTON 8, ANGELS 4 GAME 2: ANGELS 7, BOSTON 5.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA 

Staff Writer

BOSTON -- Determined to salvage their dignity, the Angels rallied to split a day-night doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox Friday with a 7-5 win in the second game and then watched as Fenway Park imploded all around them.

A water bottle came flying from the stands in the ninth inning of the nightcap, nearly hitting Red Sox reliever Eric Gagne as he stood on the mound. Red Sox manager Terry Francona and first baseman Kevin Youkilis were ejected a half-inning later by separate umpires on the same play.

A long day crumbled into a ragged end, especially when it came to two of the supposed top bullpens in baseball.

Angels relievers Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez could not hold a three-run Angels lead in the eighth inning of Game 2. But Gagne was no match for a three-run Angels rally in the ninth.

That Angels' victory came just hours after they were humiliated 8-4 in Game 1, in which 15-game winner John Lackey was pounded early and often. Lackey gave up six runs in a 46-pitch opening inning to the doubleheader -- not the ideal way to start an 18-inning day.

"Well, that's about as much of a rollercoaster as you can be on," manager Mike Scioscia said.

Lackey began the day upset because his request to start the second game was ignored. Santana started the second game as a likely sacrifice to Red Sox 15-game winner Josh Beckett. Before Santana finished his outing, the right-hander earned another start next week.

The Angels, though, were just three outs away from another demoralizing day at Fenway as a sweep looked likely.

Down a run, pinch-hitter Reggie Willits led off the ninth inning of Game 2 with a flyout to center, but his 13-pitch at-bat did set the tone for the inning. Another pinch hitter, Casey Kotchman, walked. Chone Figgins' single gave the Angels some hope.

Orlando Cabrera followed with a single to left field to tie it 5-5 before Vladimir Guerrero delivered a two-run double to left center.

"It was a great win because for one, that's a great ballclub over there," Willits said. "Two, I think we showed we can come back."

Santana had to share praise along with the comeback itself. The right- hander, shipped to Triple-A Salt Lake in July and made five starts there, made his triumphant return by giving up one run on four hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Francona said Santana had his team handcuffed. Scioscia came away impressed to see the form return from last season's 16-game winner.

Santana was trying to not make a big deal of the outing.

"Today, I just wanted to forget about the past and it's a new day for me," Santana said through first-base coach Alfredo Griffin, who was serving as interpreter. "I was focused and throwing strikes and just getting one batter at a time. Today I was throwing the ball wherever I wanted, and you couldn't ask for more."

While it was expected that Santana would be sent back to Salt Lake following the outing, Scioscia instead announced that the right-hander will possibly start Wednesday at home against the New York Yankees. Dustin Moseley will still make his start Monday, effectively giving the Angels a six-man rotation for the short term.

Lackey, who has made a team-high 25 starts, could get an extra day of rest and next pitch Thursday at home against the Toronto Blue Jays.

He will need to be much better than he was in Game 1 as he gave up seven runs (six earned) on 11hits in four innings. David Ortiz gave the Red Sox a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener with a home run to right field, while J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell, Doug Mirabelli and Alex Cora all drove in one run each.

"They all add up," Lackey said. "It felt like I was throwing the ball better than what was going on."

The second game brought a much elusive victory in Fenway. The Angels are now 9-18 here since 2002 and 13-26 since 1999.

"I definitely think this ballpark kind of shuts down some things we like to do," Lackey said. "Being so short in left field, going first to third and doing the things we like to do (on the bases) are a little tougher to do here. We haven't pitched very well here, and with that short porch in left, it'd be nice to have a little pop."

For now, the Angels will have to continue to invent ways to win here. But if they finally decided to blow the place up, Lackey wouldn't mind having his finger on the trigger.

"I'd probably help, yeah," he said.

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Angels (Weaver 8-5) at Boston (Schilling 6-5), 4:05 p.m., Fenway Park.

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Photo:

Vladimir Guerrero, right, and Orlando Cabrera are congratulated after the Angels beat Boston in Game 2.

Charles Krupa/Associated Press