Saunders sharp in Angels win over Boston

BOSTON --Joe Saunders took a shutout into the eighth inning and the Los Angeles Angels gained a split of the series between the teams with baseball's best records, beating the Boston Red Sox 3-1 Sunday.

In his 26th major league start, the 26-year-old left-hander scattered six hits and allowed just two runners to reach second base in 7 2-3 innings. He struck out seven, walked two and was charged with one run.

Boston's lead in the AL East dropped to four games over the New York Yankees, who beat Detroit for the third straight day. The last time Boston held a smaller lead was on May 1 when the margin was 3 1/2 games.

Julian Tavarez (6-9) allowed just two runs and two hits in six innings for the Red Sox.

Saunders (7-1) left the game with two outs in the eighth after David Ortiz singled on his 104th pitch. Scot Shields then walked Manny Ramirez and allowed an RBI single to Mike Lowell. Justin Speier ended the rally by striking out pinch-hitter J.D. Drew.

Francisco Rodriguez struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 31st save in 35 chances.

The first runner to reach second against Saunders came in the second when Lowell was safe on a forceout at second and advanced on Bobby Kielty's single in his first at-bat with Boston. Saunders retired the next two hitters on harmless fly balls.

In the fourth, with two outs, Lowell walked and Kielty singled him to second again. But Coco Crisp struck out.

The Angels scored two runs in the first and could have had more if Kielty didn't rob Casey Kotchman of a two-run homer when he reached over the low right-field wall to make the inning-ending catch. Kielty banged his right side against the top of the fence and grabbed it before trotting in to a standing ovation.

Chone Figgins led off the first with a single, took second on a walk to Orlando Cabrera and scored on Vladimir Guerrero's single. Those were the only hits Tavarez allowed.

Cabrera scored when Gary Matthews Jr. grounded into a forceout at second.

The Angels' next runner was Cabrera, who was hit by a pitch in the third. He took a few steps toward the mound and pointed with his left hand and jawed at Tavarez, who stayed near the mound as catcher Kevin Cash stood between them. Players came out from the benches and bullpens, but the incident ended quickly and quietly.

Tavarez retired his last 11 batters before Kyle Snyder allowed Los Angeles' third run in the seventh. Kotchman doubled, took third on a single by Maicer Izturis and scored on a wild pitch.

Notes:@ Angels 2B Erick Aybar left the game in the bottom of the sixth with a strained left hamstring. ... Tavarez is 0-5 in his last seven starts. ... Lowell reached base on all four at-bats with a single, a walk and two forceouts at second base. ... Cabrera's hitting streak ended at eight games. ... Kielty and Cash made their debuts with the Red Sox. Both were called up Friday from Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Youkilis went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and is in a 4-for-35 slump.