Boston has won three straight road games since beginning the season with a seven-game road losing streak heading into its third game with Los Angeles Saturday night

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels

Boston aims for its first four-game winning streak of the season Saturday night after winning the first two games of its series with Los Angeles by a combined three runs.  The Red Sox starting staff has been a big part of the turnaround and left-hander Jon Lester kept things going with a brilliant performance on Friday.  “I think the rotation has gotten in a little bit of rhythm and we can just build off of each other’s starts,” Lester commented.  “I know it’s been said in the past as far as competition, but guys build off each other.”  Boston is 4-6 versus right-handed starters this year and 129-95 against them the past three seasons.

Red Sox starting pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka is 1-2 with a 6.43 ERA in three starts this season, capturing his first victory in a 9-1 win on Patriots Day over Toronto at Fenway Park.  The right-hander tossed seven scoreless innings and allowed just a pair of base runners in the contest.  Matsuzaka has made three career starts against the Angels in his career, with all of them taking place at Fenway Park.  He has been solid during his career on the road, posting a 23-13 record and 3.88 ERA in 52 outings compared to 24-16 with a 4.61 ERA at home.

Los Angeles dropped its second consecutive home game against Boston on Friday night by committing untimely mistakes in the field.  “We shot ourselves in the foot on the defensive side,” manager Mike Scioscia commented.  “We just didn’t make a couple of plays and it cost us.”  The Angels have still won seven of 10 and are 11-5 in the last 15 games after a 1-3 start to the season.  Los Angeles has struggled mightily against tonight’s opponent recently, dropping 11 of the last 12 meetings, after going 1-9 versus the Red Sox in 2010.  The club is 100-75 at home the past three seasons.

Angels starting pitcher Ervin Santana is 0-2 with a 5.26 ERA in four starts this season, allowing 29 hits and two home runs over 25.2 innings of work.  The right-hander is coming off his worst outing of the year in a 7-1 loss to Texas, surrendering a season-high six runs and 10 hits in just four frames.  Santana will be making his ninth career start against the Red Sox, bringing in an even 2-2 mark and 4.31 ERA.

Bettors will likely back the Red Sox due to their 25-12 record in Matsuzaka’s last 37 road starts, while the Angels are 9-20 versus the American League East.