Angels boss defends move

For much of the game, Angels manager Mike Scioscia walked a tight rope trying to steer his pitching staff through the potential minefield that is the Red Sox lineup.

With David Ortiz hitting third and Manny Ramírez hitting cleanup in Boston's order, Scioscia, mindful of the 10th-inning walkoff homer Ortiz hit in a decisive Game 3 triumph over the Halos in the 2004 American League Division Series, felt the right move in the ninth inning last night was to take the bat out of Big Papi's hands and pitch to Ramírez.

"It's pick your poison," Scioscia said. "Both those guys are tough. Manny's really tough, especially when you walk somebody in front of him and he gets motivated. But David Ortiz is one of the best clutch hitters in the game and he's certainly a guy you want to pitch around late in the game if you can."

Last night, before a delirious Fenway Park crowd of 37,706, it was Ramírez who proved lethal when he belted a 1-and-0 fastball from closer Francisco Rodriguez over the Green Monster to deal the Angels a 6-3 loss in Game 2 of this best-of-five ALDS. It was a crushing blow for the visitors, already smarting from a 4-0 shutout to Josh Beckett in Game 1.

"I didn't know where the pitch was, but, obviously, it wasn't a good pitch," said Rodriguez, who made his first appearance of the series in the ninth to face Kevin Youkilis with one out after Julio Lugo led off with a single to left and was pushed to second on a Dustin Pedroia ground out.

Rodriguez fanned Youkilis, then intentionally walked Ortiz, marking Big Papi's the fourth walk (second intentional) of the night, to pitch to Ramírez, who drew walks in his two previous at-bats before cracking his homer.

"I went out there and tried to challenge him, but sometimes you just have to tip your cap," Rodriguez said. "I just try to see them as another hitter. I try to treat every hitter the same - with respect. I know it is really tough luck for us, but I got to turn the page. We've got to go home and try to force them to come back here."

As carefully as he pitched around Ortiz, Scioscia said he would likely take the same approach in Game 3.

"Those guys are tough, they're a tough 1-2 combo, they're experienced and they make pitchers work and they know where they want the ball and they're very disciplined," Scioscia said. "I thought we did a good job of pitching all night, but the last couple of pitches obviously got away from us. They're about as good a 1-2 combo that's in our league and they've been doing it for these guys the last couple of nights."

Michael Vega can be reached at vega@globe.com.