Red Sox stand in the way again

The Boston Red Sox did not win a World Series between 1918 and 2004. But they have won twice in the last four years, and their young closer apparently considers a parade his team’s rite of October.

“We’re going to win six more by the time I get out of here,” Jonathan Papelbon told ESPN the other day.

Dustin Pedroia hadn’t seen that on television, but he rolled his eyes when he heard about it. They have a saying around the Red Sox, if you will: Papelbon being Papelbon.

“I came up with him in the minor leagues,” Pedroia said. “Anything he says really doesn’t surprise me.”

The Angels have the best record in the American League. The Red Sox have the second-best record. The teams open the second half facing each other, in a three-game series that starts tonight at Angel Stadium.

The Red Sox are not scheduled to visit Anaheim again this season -- unless, of course, they return in October.

That would be a double shot of good news for Boston: The Sox would be back in the playoffs, against a team they own in October.

Nothing could help Papelbon back up his boast more than the Red Sox drawing the Angels in the postseason, or so history suggests. The Red Sox have won nine consecutive playoff games against the Angels, dating to 1986, including sweeps of the division series in 2004 and 2007.

The Red Sox smoked the Angels last fall with power and pitching, and the Angels do not appear to have closed that gap.

The Red Sox outscored the Angels, 19-4, and outhomered the Angels, 5-0, in last year’s division series.

Boston leads the league in on-base percentage this year and ranks second in slugging percentage. The Angels rank 12th and 10th, respectively.

Boston has five players with more than 12 home runs, including the injured David Ortiz. The Angels have one, Vladimir Guerrero.

Call the pitching even -- the Sox have given up 363 earned runs, the Angels 362 -- and give the edge to Boston.

Not so fast, says Pedroia, the Boston second baseman. The Angels had four key offensive players -- Guerrero, Garret Anderson, Casey Kotchman and Gary Matthews Jr. -- injured or ill during last year’s playoffs.

“They weren’t at full strength,” Pedroia said. “The Angels are a great team. They play the game the right way. They’re fast. They play great defense. They pitch. They’re tough.

“I know we’ve had success against them, but they’re definitely not fun to play against.”

Still, the Angels had no home runs in 99 at-bats in last October’s series. Ortiz and Manny Ramirez had four home runs in 15 at-bats.

So has the power -- the balance of power -- shifted between the teams?

“Not really,” Angels pitcher Joe Saunders said. “They’re going to hit their home runs.

“This year, we’ve hit our fair share of home runs, but we seem to do the little things a little better. That’s what’s given us success.”

Even in Boston. The Angels were 8-20 in Fenway Park over the last five seasons, playoffs included, but they won two of three there in April.

“I think that really instilled some confidence in us,” Saunders said. “We’ve struggled at Fenway.

“But we can pitch with those guys. If we can scratch out a few runs against their pitching staff, I think we have a chance.”

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com

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ANGELS VS. BOSTON

Tonight

7, FSN West