One day after the Angels clinched their third straight AL West title with an 11-0 victory over the second-place Rangers (85-72), Los Angeles took it easy, resting two-thirds of its usual starting lineup.
Yet pinch-hitter Mike Napoli had a two-run single as the Angels improbably battered Texas ace Scott Feldman (17-7), who has lost three of his last four starts in a blow to his Cy Young Award hopes. Feldman yielded seven hits and three walks while failing to get out of the fourth inning.
Brian Fuentes worked the ninth for his major league-leading 46th save, a career high and a new AL record for the most saves by a pitcher in his first season with a team. Joe Borowski had 45 for Cleveland in 2007.
O'Sullivan (4-2) allowed three hits over five easy innings as a late replacement for Scott Kazmir, who was pulled from his start about two hours before the game. Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia also said Jered Weaver and John Lackey won't make their scheduled starts in this series to give all three pitchers a little extra rest for the Red Sox.
Boston has won all four of its playoff series against the Angels, including first-round victories in 2004, 2007 and 2008. Add the 1986 AL championship series, and Boston has won 12 of its past 13 postseason games against the Angels.
Scioscia also scratched Juan Rivera, Torii Hunter, Kendry Morales, Erick Aybar, Maicer Izturis and Napoli from his regular lineup Tuesday. Leadoff hitter Chone Figgins, Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero were the only regular Los Angeles starters in the lineup, and all three played only half the game.
But Abreu hit his 15th homer in the first inning, and Jeff Mathis had a run-scoring single in the second. Napoli's bases-loaded drive chased Feldman in the fourth, and Howie Kendrick added an RBI double in the seventh.
David Murphy homered and Michael Young had two hits in his second game back from injury for the Rangers, whose admirable playoff run finally lost all its steam. Texas stayed in the race until the final week, but a September swoon doomed its run at the fourth playoff berth in franchise history.
Texas also lost cleanup hitter Marlon Byrd in the first inning after he injured his right hip while attempting to beat out a grounder. Byrd fell flat on his face beyond first base before limping to the dugout.
Before the game, Texas shut down outfielder Josh Hamilton for the rest of the season, deciding the slugger shouldn't push through the pain from a pinched nerve in his back.
NOTES: Figgins drew two walks to give him 101 this season, the most by an Angels hitter since Troy Glaus had 107 in 2001. ... Angels rookie Chris Pettit got his first major league hit in his first plate appearance in the seventh inning with a single to left off Pedro Strop. Catcher Bobby Wilson got his first hit of the season, an eighth-inning double. ... Angels SS Brandon Wood snapped an 0-for-16 skid with a fourth-inning double.
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