Major League Baseball

Napoli homers again, drives in four as Red Sox top Angels

Published May. 24, 2015 5:49 p.m. ET

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BOSTON -- Mike Napoli might want to find that child that autographed his bat a couple of days ago and have him sign a few more.

Napoli hit his fourth homer of the series -- all with a bat he had a child sign before the series opener -- and drove in four runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

"Sometimes there's kids in the dugout (pregame) and I go up and have them sign my bat," he said. "It's kind of crazy, the first home run I hit the other day I hit right where he signed it. That was pretty cool."

All he knows is the child's name is Ethan and he was one of a few guests in the dugout before Friday's series opener.

So, he might start looking for him again if he cools off.

"Everybody's always asking me for my autograph, I think it's pretty cool to say, `Can I get your autograph?'" Napoli said. "They love that and they write their name on the bat."

Napoli belted a two-run home run, two-run double and improved his career average to .333 with 18 homers and 36 RBIs in 47 games against his former team.

"I think there's always some incentive when you go up against your old organization," Red Sox manager John Farrell said.

Mike Trout had an RBI double for the Angels, who closed a 10-game road trip against AL East teams at 5-5.

"Tip your cap to Napoli. He had a great series," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Napoli, who drove in eight runs to go with the four homers against the Angels, entered the weekend hitting .178 with four homers and 13 RBIs.

Wade Miley pitched eight strong innings and Xander Bogaerts went 4 for 4 with a double and three singles for the Red Sox, who took the three-game series after losing the opener Friday.

Miley (4-4) gave up one run and four hits, striking out two and walking one. He's won his past three starts, giving up just three runs over 21 2-3 innings.

Hector Santiago (3-3) threw a career-high 124 pitches in 6 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and seven hits.

"A guy that's hot, for some reason they go out there when they're hot, they just kind of run into balls it seems like," Santiago said of Napoli. "They don't miss the mistakes."

Working his usual quick pace, Miley retired the first 14 batters before walking Chris Iannetta on a 3-1 pitch with two outs in the fifth.

C.J. Cron then singled to left after the Angels challenged that he was hit by a pitch a couple of pitches earlier. The umpires ruled that the ball hit the bat near his hands and, after about a minute review, it was upheld.

The Red Sox jumped ahead 2-0 in the second on Napoli's shot into the center-field bleachers, his fifth homer in the six-game homestand. His double off the Green Monster made it 5-1 in the eighth.

Facing Los Angeles for the first time in his career, the Angels' hitters helped Miley by swinging early. He needed just 25 pitches in the first three innings.

DIFFERENT LOOK

Switch-hitting Pablo Sandoval, who is just 2 for 41 hitting right-handed this season, had a pinch-hit single from the left side against LHP Cesar Ramos.

"I wouldn't rule it out," Farrell said of him hitting lefty against lefties.

ROUGH RETURN

The Angels recalled RHP Cam Bedrosian from Triple-A Salt Lake when they placed RHP Mike Morin on the 15-day DL before the game.

He got only one out, allowing four hits and three runs.

HAVE SOME LUMBER

David Ortiz's bat splintered and went down near first base when he grounded out in the second inning. He took the remainder and tossed it on the dugout for a fan.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Angels: Morin was placed on the DL with a strained left oblique sustained throwing a pitch in Saturday's loss. Scioscia said before the game that he didn't have a timetable for a return.

Red Sox: RF Shane Victorino was placed on the 15-day DL with a tight left calf that caused him to miss two games before leaving Saturday's game early. Farrell said Victorino was upset but understood the decision. "I'm not saying he fought this, but he's disappointed," he said.

UP NEXT

Angels: RHP Jered Weaver (3-4, 4.37 ERA) is scheduled to face San Diego RHP Tyson Ross (2-4, 3.93) when they open a 10-game homestand on Monday. Weaver is 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA in his past three starts.

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (1-3, 5.13 ERA) is slated to go against Minnesota RHP Ricky Nolasco (4-1, 6.00) as they begin a seven-game road trip Monday.

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