The Red Sox defeated the Angels by a score of 6-1.  Wade Miley had a perfect game going until the 5th inning, and Mike Napoli is on fire and hit his 5th home run in 5 games and an RBI double.  Both pitchers had  perfect games until the bottom of the 2nd.  In between 3 outs, Xander Bogaerts hit a base hit to left followed by a 458 foot 2 run home run into deep deep center field by Mike Napoli.

From there early on, it was a pitcher’s duel.  Two Red Sox singled but other than that, no hits, no walks, no errors.  Up until the 5th, where the Angels broke up Miley’s perfect game and a later no hitter with a walk and single, making it 1st and 2nd with a Wade Miley 1-hitter.  In the bottom of the 5th, the Red Sox struck to make up for it.  Brock Holt led off with a ground rule double where a fan prevented another fan in the next row from catching the double.  Then Sandy Leon bunted and Holt was sent to third base.  One out, man on third.  Then Dustin Pedroia hit a sacrifice fly to score Holt.  3-0 Sox.

In the 6th, the Angels scored their only run.  Erick Aybar hit a single, and Mike Trout followed with a double and Aybar ran all the way around.  In the bottom of the 6th, Bogaerts doubled, then Napoli was intentionally walked with two down, making it 1st and 2nd.  The final out was Napoli getting picked off at first.  besides a Red Sox 1st and 2nd, no hits in the 7th.  One was a walk. Featherston on the Angels was hurt and Johnny Giovatella came in for him.

However, back in the top of the 7th and 8th, defense was key, even though Brock Holt hurt his wrist on a single.  On the 1st out, Pedroia reached out and flipped to first in an amazing play, nearly jumping off and catching the ball off the ground.  Then Holt followed with a great grab and another throw to 1st. In the 8th, after Holt got hurt on a single, Holt reached out again, and threw quick to Pedroia after getting up fast, who threw to Napoli for an amazing two outs.

The Red Sox rallied in the bottom of the 8th though.  Ramirez led off with a single.  Bogaerts got another single, making for a 4-hit game, Bogaerts’ second.  Ramirez went to third.  First and third, one out.  Then Napoli followed with a 2 run RBI double, making it 5-1 Red Sox.  Next, after Castillo reached on his infield single, Sandoval hit for the injured Holt, after being out with a knee injury for several games.  I was surprised that he was hitting lefty vs a left handed pitcher, being a switch hitter.  After struggling and injuring his knee being hit by the pitch batting righty, maybe he would permanently switch to a lefty.  But it worked.  Sandoval hit a sharp single to left, scoring Napoli, but catchng Castillo between second and third, making for a second out.  Knowing Sandoval was hurt, Jason Bianchi ran for Sandoval.  Bianchi was called up today as Victorino went on the DL with an aggrivated calf.  Knowing he’s injury prone, I’m not shocked.

Bianchi took over at third as Koji Uehara came in and threw a 1-2-3 inning, earning him a save, and Miley the win.  The Red Sox defeated the Angels by a score of 6-1.  Be on the lookout for tomorrow’s Memorial Day ceremonial day game recap in Minnesota against the Twins.  I expect big things from Big Papi in this 3 game series.  Even in a small slump, I could see him following through against a past team of his, as he always does.