The Angels led twice. Neither time did it last. Boston erased a 3-2 deficit with one swing in the third inning and never trailed again, taking a 7-5 decision at Angel Stadium before 35,992 fans.
Willson Contreras supplied the turning point. With the Red Sox trailing 3-2, he homered to left center — 446 feet — with Tsung-Che Cheng and Wilyer Abreu aboard, putting Boston ahead 5-3. It was the go-ahead blow the Red Sox would not relinquish. Contreras finished 1-for-4 with a walk, 3 RBI and his 20th home run of the season, hitting .288 on the year. Jarren Duran added a two-run homer to center in the second inning — 422 feet — that tied the game at 2-2, his 13th of the season. Masataka Yoshida went 3-for-5 with an RBI, and Abreu drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
The Angels had opened the scoring in the first. Neto scored on Jorge Soler's fielder's choice, and Guzman came around on a Jo Adell single to make it 2-0. Zach Neto answered for Los Angeles throughout — he went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, and 2 RBI, including a solo shot to left center in the ninth that pulled the Angels within 7-5. Adell went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI to pace the home offense. But the Angels could not complete the comeback.
Ryan Johnson absorbed the loss, falling to 1-4. He allowed 5 runs — 2 earned — on 6 hits over 4.0 innings, striking out 6 with a walk on 87 pitches. His ERA stands at 6.99. Greg Weissert earned his first win of the season, tossing 1.1 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts. Aroldis Chapman worked the ninth, allowing 1 run on 1 hit while striking out 2, recording his 18th save with a 2.36 ERA.
Boston has won two straight and improved to 39-48. The Angels have dropped five in a row and sit at 36-54. Weissert is one game appearance away from 200 in his career.