Boston, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Napoli homered and drove in four runs to back a stellar outing from Wade Miley and Boston claimed a 6-1 victory over the Angels in the rubber match of this three-game set.
Napoli improved his career average to .333 with 18 homers and 36 RBI in 47 games against his ex mates.
"I think there's always some incentive when you go up against your old organization," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of Napoli's hot streak over the final three games in the set where he finished 5-for-9 with four homers, five runs scored and eight RBI.
Miley (4-4) allowed a run on four hits with two strikeouts, needing only 97 pitches to complete the outing. Koji Uehara closed things out with a scoreless ninth.
Xander Bogaerts added four hits and scored twice with Dustin Pedroia and Pablo Sandoval driving in a run each for the Red Sox, who won the last two games in the series after dropping four of their previous five.
Mike Trout knocked in the lone run for Los Angeles, which was coming off a series split in Toronto and ended its road trip at 5-5.
Hector Santiago (3-3) was tagged for seven hits and three runs while fanning six in defeat. He threw a career high 124 pitches.
"I think they lost the leash," Santiago quipped on why he wasn't pulled earlier.
Miley finally faltered in the sixth, though briefly, when Erick Aybar singled and made it home on a Trout double to cut the Angels' deficit to 3-1. He pitched a quiet seventh and then erased a one-out single by Johnny Giavotella by inducing an inning-ending double play from Aybar.
The Sox provided three more insurance runs in the home half as both Hanley Ramirez and Bogaerts singled before scoring on Napoli's double to center. Sandoval made a pinch-hit appearance work by sending Napoli home with a single for a 6-1 score.
Napoli went to work earlier in the afternoon, as his mammoth two-run shot to center gave the hosts a lead in the bottom of the second. Bogaerts was already aboard thanks to his first hit of the contest.
Miley, meanwhile, mowed down the first 14 Angels he faced in turn.
Chris Iannetta was the Halos' first baserunner, via a two-out walk in the fifth, then C.J. Cron produced their initial hit on a single, but Matt Joyce grounded out.
Brock Holt began the home half with a ground-rule double and later scored on a Pedroia fly to center.
"We're playing at .500, and we haven't played anywhere near our potential," said Iannetta.
Game Notes
Napoli's shot traveled an estimated 450 feet, the longest homer at Fenway this year ... Before the contest, the Red Sox placed outfielder Shane Victorino on the 15-day disabled list, selected the contract of infielder Jeff Bianchi from Triple-A Pawtucket and placed pitcher Anthony Varvaro on the 15-day disabled list.
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