BOSTON, Aug. 24 (UPI) -- Kevin Appier and three relievers combined on a five-hitter Saturday as the Anaheim Angels blanked the Boston Red Sox, 2-0, to even the four-game series at a win apiece.
Anaheim had dropped three of its first four contests on a seven-game road trip against Eastern Division contenders New York and Boston.
But Appier (12-9) shut down the Red Sox, scattering four hits over six innings with three walks and a strikeout. The Angels pulled even with Seattle in the wild card race and moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Boston.
Brendan Donnelly and Scott Schoeneweis each tossed scoreless innings before Troy Percival got the final three outs for his 31st save.
Knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (7-5) pitched well in defeat, yielding two runs -- one earned -- and eight hits over seven innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.
Boston's Manny Ramirez streak of reaching in consecutive plate appearances ended at 14, two shy of Ted Williams' major league record.
Ramirez singled in the first inning and doubled in the fourth, but flied out to center in the sixth, ending his streak.
The Angels gave Appier the only run he needed in the second as Brad Fullmer led off with a double and scored two outs later on Jose Molina's single.
Anaheim provided insurance in the fourth on Scott Spiezio's one-out double and Adam Kennedy's RBI single.
