Kept at Bay

ANAHEIM, Calif. – Boston’s latest postseason win over the Los Angeles Angels moved the team with baseball’s best record to the verge of elimination.

J.D. Drew stunned Francisco Rodriguez with a two-run homer in the ninth inning, and the defending World Series champions beat the Angels 7-5 on Friday night for a 2-0 lead in their first-round A.L. playoff series.

“This was huge,” Drew said. “We were in a spot – tie ballgame. They had seemingly had the momentum.”

Boston, one win from advancing to the A.L. Championship Series, won its 11th consecutive postseason game against the Angels, outscoring them 80-33 and setting the record for most postseason victories in a row over one opponent. The Red Sox won their ninth consecutive postseason game overall.

Boston swept the Angels in the first round in 2004 and last year, both times en route to World Series titles.

Game 3 will be Sunday night in Boston, with Joe Saunders pitching for the Angels against Josh Beckett, who was pushed back from the opener after injuring a muscle in his side.

“There is a challenge in front of us and the only way to meet it is going to be pitch by pitch, inning by inning on Sunday,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “We played well in their park all year, and we have to do it now instead.”

Drew’s RBI double and Jason Bay’s three-run homer off Ervin Santana gave Boston a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but the Angels, 100-62 during the regular season, clawed back and tied the score in the eighth when Chone Figgins hit a leadoff triple off Justin Masterson – the Angels’ first extra-base hit of the series after 19 singles – and Mark Teixeira hit a one-out sacrifice fly against Jonathan Papelbon (1-0).

Rodriguez (0-1), who set a record with 62 saves in the regular season, got the last out in the eighth. He allowed a leadoff double to David Ortiz in the ninth on a ball that bounced out of the glove of Reggie Willits, who tried for a leaping catch at the wall in right-center.

After Kevin Youkilis grounded out, Drew pounced on a 2-2 changeup and sent it deep over the wall in center.

“It just worked out that I squared it up really nice,” Drew said.

Rodriguez, who allowed a game-ending home run to Manny Ramirez in Game 2 last year, hung his head and covered much of his face with his glove.

The Red Sox went 56-25 at Fenway Park this season – the second-best home record in the majors behind Tampa Bay.

Of the 35 teams to fall behind 2-0 in the division series before this year, just five have come back to advance, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Only one – the 2001 New York Yankees – came back to win after losing the first two at home.