Red Sox are thinking sweep

The Angels couldn't master Pedro Martinez's pitches in an 8-3 defeat in Game 2.
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Pedro Martinez has no explanation for his dreadful September. He's just glad to have pitched well to begin October.
Martinez worked seven innings and Manny Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly as the Boston Red Sox beat the Anaheim Angels 8-3 Wednesday night for a commanding 2-0 lead in the AL division series.
The Red Sox will try to sweep the best-of-5 series Friday at Fenway Park, where they went 55-26 during the regular season. Bronson Arroyo can put Boston back in the AL championship series when he starts against Kelvim Escobar.
Martinez had a 7.72 ERA while losing his last four starts of the regular season. He allowed three runs and six hits while walking two and striking out six against the Angels, retiring his last seven batters and leaving after 116 pitches.
"A lot of people doubted that man," Boston catcher Jason Varitek said of Martinez. "I never doubt that man."
Martinez, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is 5-1 with a 3.19 ERA in the postseason.
"He's a big-game pitcher," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I thought he competed his heart out. There were some situations where at any point in that game if something doesn't go our way, we could lose the game. He gave everything he had to do what he did."
Regarding his poor finish to the regular season, Martinez said: "I wanted to do good. I just couldn't do it. But thank God I turned it around, and now I feel like I can pitch better. My arm feels great right now. I feel strong."
Demon against Angels
Martinez is 9-1 with a 2.12 ERA lifetime against the Angels in the regular season.
"This was probably the best stuff he has had against us all year," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think Pedro is terrific when maybe the situation gets a little hot. He gets an extra gear."
The Angels don't have much margin for error now.
"They're up two games, but you never know what's going to happen," Escobar said. "We're down two, on the road. I like the pressure."
The Red Sox scored the go-ahead run in the seventh off Francisco Rodriguez, who won a record-tying five postseason games two years ago to help the Angels win the World Series.
It was tied at 3 when Bill Mueller got an infield hit and Johnny Damon hit into a forceout. Mark Bellhorn walked before Rodriguez threw a wild pitch, putting runners at second and third. Ramirez then flied to center, easily deep enough to score Damon.
Mike Timlin relieved Martinez to start the eighth, and gave up a single to Darin Erstad before striking out Vladimir Guerrero. Francona then summoned Mike Myers, who struck out Garret Anderson. Keith Foulke came on and fanned Troy Glaus to end the inning.
The Red Sox broke the game open in the ninth, scoring four runs off Brendan Donnelly.
Foulke retired the Angels in order in the bottom of the inning to earn the save.
"You know they feel good when they get to their bullpen, like we do," Francona said. "Not only did we get the lead but we tacked on a little bit. Somewhere down the line, that might help us. This bullpen has been invincible."
BOSTONANAHEIM
abrhbiabrhbi
Damon cf5120Figgins 2b4000
Bllhorn 2b3010Erstad 1b3010
Reese 2b0000VGrero rf3012
MRmrz lf3112GAndsn cf4000
DOrtiz dh2110Glaus dh3100
Nixon rf5011DVnon lf4020
Kapler rf0100Mcphrs 3b4011
Millar 1b3110JMolna c2110
Mntkw 1b2010Ktchm ph1000
Varitek c3212BMolna c0000
OCbera ss5013Pride ph1000
Mueller 3b3120Eckstin ss3110
DRbrts pr0000
Yukilis 3b2000
Totals368128Totals32373
Boston010002104--8
Anaheim010020000--3
DP--Boston 2, Anaheim 1. LOB--Boston 10, Anaheim 5. 2B--MRamirez (2), OCabrera (1). HR--Varitek (1). SB--Damon (2). CS--DaVanon (1). SF--MRamirez.
IPHRERBBSO
Boston
PMartinez W,1-0763326
Timlin1-310001
MMyers1-300001
Foulke S,11 1-300002
Anaheim
Colon673333
FRodriguez L,0-1221122
Donnelly134420
HBP--by FRodriguez (Varitek), by PMartinez (Erstad). WP--FRodriguez 2, Donnelly. Umpires--Home, Jerry Meals; First, Brian Runge; Second, Gary Cederstrom; Third, Ed Montague; Left, Kerwin Danley; Right, Larry Young. T--3:48. A--45,118.