Boston @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 29, 2016 ) Boston 6, LA Angels 2

Hector Santiago aims to win his sixth consecutive start and seventh straight decision when the Los Angeles Angels host the Boston Red Sox on Saturday for the third contest of their four-game series. Santiago is 6-0 with a 2.40 ERA over his last eight turns, with six of the 13 runs he has allowed during the stretch coming in one outing.

Santiago has matched his career best for victories in a season with nine, and his stellar pitching has made him a target of contending teams with the trade deadline approaching. The Angels had their seven-game home winning streak halted when Boston posted a 6-2 victory on Friday, ending the Red Sox's four-game skid. Xander Bogaerts, who is 5-for-9 versus Santiago, homered and drove in three runs on Friday as he extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Angels slugger Albert Pujols has recorded two hits in each of the first two games of the series and is 9-for-23 over his last five contests.

TV: 9:05 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN West (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Drew Pomeranz (8-8, 2.84 ERA) vs. Angels LH Hector Santiago (9-4, 4.28)

Pomeranz is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two starts for Boston since being acquired from San Diego. The National League All-Star has served up three homers in nine innings for the Red Sox after allowing just eight in 102 frames with the Padres. Pomeranz is 1-2 with a 4.24 ERA in eight career appearances (three starts) against the Angels and has shut down Pujols (1-for-12) and Mike Trout (1-for-8, one homer).

Santiago has posted a 1.48 ERA and allowed just 22 hits during his five-start streak. He hasn't made it out of the sixth inning in either of his last two outings after working six or more frames in each of his previous six turns. Santiago is 2-3 with a 2.97 ERA in seven career appearances (six starts) versus Boston and was the winning pitcher during a 21-2 victory on July 2, when he gave up one unearned run and four hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Red Sox CF Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a solo homer on Friday - his lone hit in 12 at-bats over the last three games.

2. Trout is 1-for-8 in the series and is buried in a 10-game homerless drought.

3. Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia reached base four times on a single and three walks on Friday and is 15-for-38 with 10 runs scored during his nine-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Red Sox 5, Angels 4