Angels can’t keep it close in 8-3 loss to Boston

KEY MOMENT: The Angels used four relievers in an effort to keep the game close in the seventh inning, and left-hander Cesar Ramos got a big out, inducing David Ortiz to fly to shallow left field with the bases loaded and the Red Sox leading, 4-2. But Xander Bogaerts ripped an 0-and-2 pitch from right-hander Fernando Salas into right field for a two-out, two-run single to push the lead to 6-2.

AT THE PLATE: Facing a knuckleball pitcher for the second time in three games, the Angels looked as if they might knock out Red Sox right-hander Steven Wright early when Erick Aybar led off the game with a single, Albert Pujols doubled and Kole Calhoun hit a two-run double off the wall in left-center field. But they managed only one more hit against Wright, who left with one out in the seventh. Aybar doubled, and Mike Trout hit a run-scoring single against Junichi Tazawa in the eighth. Second baseman Johnny Giavotella was hitless in four at-bats and is three for 32 in his last 10 games, his average falling from .284 to .246. Matt Joyce has reached base in seven of his last nine games.

ON THE MOUND: Reliever Mike Morin suffered a left rib-cage strain on a pitch to Dustin Pedroia in the seventh inning and was removed from the game. Manager Mike Scioscia said the right-hander, who has a 6.00 earned-run average in 20 appearances, will be put on the disabled list and a corresponding move will be made Sunday. That would put right-hander Cam Bedrosian, who has a 1.93 ERA in 10 games with 25 strikeouts and four walks in 18 2/3 innings at triple-A Salt Lake, in line for a promotion.

IN THE FIELD: Calhoun had been playing Gold Glove-caliber defense, with four superb diving catches this month, but he had a rough time in right field Saturday. He came up just short on a diving try of Pedroia’s third-inning liner. He was charged with a two-base error when he failed to catch Mookie Betts’ wind-blown fly ball near the wall in foul territory during Boston’s two-run seventh. And he made a mental error in the eighth, assuming Brock Holt would stop at third base on Blake Swihart’s hit-and-run single to right. Holt never slowed and scored from first base on the play.

UP NEXT: Left-hander Hector Santiago (3-2, 2.25 ERA) will oppose Boston left-hander Wade Miley (3-4, 5.10) on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. PDT at Fenway Park. TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

—Mike DiGiovanna