ANGELS GET BEAT WITH LONG BALL ORTIZ, PENA HELP RED SOX STOP SKID BOSTON 5, ANGELS 4.

Byline: BEN VILLA Staff Writer

The Boston Red Sox took out a week's worth of frustration on the Angels in the first two innings of their game Wednesday night, and that proved to be enough to end their six-game losing streak.

David Ortiz and Wily Mo Pena each hit two-run home runs to help the Red Sox beat the Angels 5-4 in front of 44,093 at Angel Stadium.

The loss was a costly one for the Angels. Not only did they see their five-game winning streak come to an end, but they also fell five games behind first-place Oakland for in the AL West.

The Angels also wound up leaving 11 runners on base, going 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

``We had our chances, that's for sure,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``You can't expect to win when you leave 11 runners on base against a team like Boston. We just couldn't get a clutch hit with runners in scoring position and that was the bottom line. We didn't get it done.''

Down by one run in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Angels had an opportunity to tie the score or take the lead. With runners on first and second and one out, Robb Quinlan, who earlier extended his hitting streak to 14 games, hit a single to right.

But Orlando Cabrera hesitated on the play and stayed at third base, loading the bases for Tim Salmon.

Salmon, who had a tough night at the plate -- going 0 for 4 -- struck out looking against Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin, and Howie Kendrick grounded out to end the inning.

``It looked like the right fielder was going to catch it and I didn't want to run us out of the inning,'' Cabrera said. ``I kind of hesitated and that's why I didn't score. We had a lot of opportunities to tie the game but we couldn't come up with a big hit.

``We battled, but we just couldn't get that fifth run. This one was a tough one to lose.''

In the eighth inning, Chone Figgins reached third base with two outs, but Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon struck out Cabrera.

Cabrera, who was 3 for 3 with a walk up until that point, was batting .500 against Papelbon in his career.

It didn't take long for the Red Sox to get on the scoreboard against Angels starter Kelvim Escobar.

Coco Crisp walked to lead off the game and came around to score after Ortiz crushed a hanging breaking ball over the left-center field fence to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

The Angels got one run back in the first. Red Sox starter Jon Lester walked Cabrera after two were gone, then Cabrera stole second base to get into scoring position.

Vladimir Guerrero then doubled to left-center, scoring Cabrera.

But any momentum the Angels might have had at that point was quickly squashed in the top of the second, when Mike Lowell led off with a double and Pena hit the first pitch from Escobar over the left-field fence.

But the Red Sox weren't done. Javy Lopez followed Pena's shot with a double, and Alex Cora sacrificed Lopez over to third base. Crisp then singled Lopez home to give the Red Sox a 5-1 lead.

Escobar managed to settle down after that, at one point retiring 11batters in a row. He pitched eight innings and struck out six.

``I think even though I gave up five runs, I made enough adjustments to stay in the game and give our team a chance to win the game,'' Escobar said. ``Sometimes giving up home runs are going to happen. We're not perfect.''

``My pitch to David (Ortiz), the ball stayed up and he's strong enough to hit it the other way for a home run and I thought my pitch to Wily (Mo Pena) wasn't bad. But they're good hitters and sometimes, you have to give the other team credit.''

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Boston's Wily Mo Pena, right, is greeted by teammate Mike Lowell after Pena hit a two-run homer, as Angels catcher Jose Molina looks away.

(2) The Angels' Orlando Cabrera reacts after striking out with the tying run on third, ending the eighth inning.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. BOSTON

- Ben Villa