Angels fall to Boston again, this time 7-5

Reporting from Boston — The Boston Red Sox have added a new twist to their long-running dance with the Angels. Instead of breaking their hearts in October, they’re breaking their backs in May, July and August.

Reliever Kevin Jepsen suffered his second Fenway Park meltdown this season, throwing a wild pitch and hitting a batter with the bases loaded to allow the tying and go-ahead runs to score in the seventh inning of a 7-5 loss to Boston on Wednesday night.

The Red Sox, who beat the Angels in the playoffs in 2004, 2007 and 2008, improved to 9-0 against the Angels, the first time since 1999 (Cleveland) the Angels have lost nine consecutive games to a team in a season.

The Angels (60-61) also lost a chance to cut into Texas’ American League West lead. They remain eight games out and unable to climb out of this morass of mediocrity because of their breakdowns in every phase of the game.

“We haven’t been able to stay consistent as a whole — it’s the offense, defense and pitching,” second baseman Howie Kendrick said. “It seems like we get a lead, we don’t hang on, and things happen. We’re playing some good teams, but at the same time, we’ve got to get it together and win these close games.”

His team having scored 10 runs and gone three for 28 with runners in scoring position the previous five games, Manager Mike Scioscia opted to cancel batting practice Wednesday.

“We’ve tried a lot of things to unlock some guys, get them to relax,” Scioscia said. “We’re going to go American Legion, get loose, get out there and hopefully have a good offensive day.”

That they did, collecting 10 hits, including Mike Napoli’s home run in the third inning and Alberto Callaspo’s two-out, three-run home run against starter John Lackey, which gave the Angels a 5-2 lead in the fifth.

Callaspo also made three sparkling defensive plays, snagging Adrian Beltre’s hard shot to his left to start a double play in the third, a diving stop of Marco Scutaro’s grounder and throw to first in the fourth, and a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch of Mike Lowell’s popup to shallow left in the fifth.

But Beltre drilled a two-run homer to left-center field against starter Scott Kazmir in the fifth inning to make it 5-4, and Jepsen, who gave up four runs, four hits and three walks in the eighth inning of a 5-1 Fenway loss on May 4, broke down in the eighth.

Victor Martinez opened with an infield single and took third base on David Ortiz’s double to left-center field. Jepsen struck out Beltre but walked Lowell to load the bases.

Jepsen bounced an 0-and-1 breaking ball to pinch-hitter J.D. Drew about six feet in front of the plate and past catcher Jeff Mathis for a wild pitch, Martinez scoring for a 5-5 tie.

Drew was walked intentionally to load the bases, and Jepsen, trying to come in on Daniel Nava, hit the pinch-hitter with a fastball to force in Ortiz for a 6-5 Red Sox lead.

“It’s very frustrating,” Jepsen said. “You feel great, you feel like your stuff is there. It’s just part of the game.”

Nava made a game-saving play in the eighth, racing in from left field for a diving catch of Maicer Izturis’ flare with two on to end the inning.

Boston added an insurance run in the eighth when Scutaro doubled and scored on Martinez’s single under the glove of Napoli at first base, and closer Jonathan Papelbon struck out the side in the ninth for his 30th save.

“I think things can turn around,” Kendrick said. “I know you’ve been hearing that all year, but crazy things can happen.”

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

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