Angels thrive in the fray

BOSTON -- This could be a really spirited playoff series. The weekend stirred up bad blood between David Ortiz and Jered Weaver, and between Orlando Cabrera and Julian Tavarez. Gary Matthews Jr. was booed relentlessly all weekend for calling Boston fans “loud, drunk and obnoxious,” and then one of them proved Matthews’ point by throwing a water bottle at Eric Gagne.

The stars could shine: Big Papi and K-Rod, Manny and Vladdy.

But the Angels and Boston Red Sox have to get into the playoffs before they can think about meeting there, and the Angels took a significant step in that direction on Sunday, with a 3-1 victory over Boston at Fenway Park.

“I knew, in my mind, this was a must-win game for us,” Angels pitcher Joe Saunders said.

If the Angels had lost, they would have returned home just one game ahead of the surging Seattle Mariners in the American League West. But the Angels split a four-game series in a park that usually gives them fits, and now the Red Sox lead the New York Yankees by four games in the AL East. The Yankees haven’t been closer to the Red Sox since May 1, but Cabrera believes his former team will survive and advance into October.

“There’s no doubt they’re one of the best teams in the American League,” Cabrera said. “I think they’re going to be there.

“We better be there. To be in first place for so long and not be there. . . “

His voice trailed off, perhaps indicative of some of the Angels’ unresolved issues on display Sunday.

The good: Saunders took a shutout into the eighth inning, striking out seven to win in his first appearance at Fenway Park. Vladimir Guerrero put the Angels ahead for good with a run-scoring single in the first inning, concluding a four-game series in which he had eight hits -- a home run, a triple, two doubles and four singles -- in 17 at-bats.

First baseman Casey Kotchman had seven hits in the series, including four doubles. The Angels and Red Sox played seven games this month, and the Angels won four.

The lingering: Garret Anderson, the cleanup batter, has a .297 on-base percentage and has gone 67 at-bats without a homer, 53 at-bats without an extra-base hit. Scot Shields, the setup man, didn’t record an out Sunday, has an 8.56 earned-run average since the All-Star break and appears to have exhausted the generous patience of Manager Mike Scioscia.

Shields faced two batters Sunday. He walked the first, and Scioscia strode to the mound to warn him to throw strikes. Scioscia rarely visits the mound if the Angels are not changing pitchers. Then Shields gave up a hit off the outfield wall, and Scioscia yanked him in favor of Justin Speier.

After the game, Scioscia said the eighth inning would not necessarily belong to Shields in the near future.

“Short term, we might look at some things,” Scioscia said. “Scot is one of the best setup men in the league. We need to get him back.”

The Angels got closer Francisco Rodriguez back into fine form. Rodriguez pitched his first 1-2-3 inning since Aug. 1 for his 31st save, striking out Coco Crisp on a fastball when Crisp was looking for a slider and striking out Julio Lugo on a curve that few batters even know to look for.

“I haven’t felt that good,” Rodriguez said, “for quite a bit.”

Good thing. The Yankees are in town tonight.

bill.shaikin@latimes.com