<p>BOSTON — Alex Verdugo hit a solo homer in his first at-bat on his 25th birthday, Xander Bogaerts also went deep with a game-breaking, three-run shot and the Boston Red Sox beat the stumbling Los Angeles Angels 9-0 on Saturday.</p>
<p>Rafael Devers added a solo shot, Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run double and Franchy Cordero drove in two runs with two doubles for the Red Sox (25-16), who won their third straight and matched their season high by climbing nine games over .500.</p>
<p>Angels star Shohei Ohtani had a rough day, getting cut down on a baserunning blunder after a single in his first at-bat, and striking out his next three.</p>
<p>Martín Pérez (1-2) went six innings, holding the Angels to three singles, striking out five with four walks. Three relievers combined on the four-hitter. </p>
<p>Los Angeles (16-22) has lost four in a row, falling to a season-worst six games under .500.</p>
<p>Verdugo snapped an 0-for-14 stretch by sending a fastball from Dylan Bundy (0-5) over Boston’s bullpen. After crossing home plate, he pointed up to the front row of seats on the Green Monster, where about a half-dozen fans, with most wearing his jersey, were cheering wildly and holding birthday signs. </p>
<p>Bogaerts chased Bundy with his shot that left Fenway Park completely over the Monster seats, giving the Red Sox a 7-0 lead in the fifth.</p>
<p>Bundy was tagged for seven runs in four innings, raising his ERA to 6.02. </p>
<p>OUCH!</p>
<p>Ohtani singled down the left-field line and headed toward second before noticing teammate Taylor Ward standing near the bag. Ohtani broke back but was easily tagged out in a rundown. </p>
<p>He struck out swinging in his second at-bat after fouling a ball off his foot and walking around gingerly.</p>
<p>I’LL TAKE THAT </p>
<p>The Red Sox had scored just nine total runs while Pérez was in the game in his seven previous starts. They put up eight on Saturday. </p>
<p>WHAT DO YOU THINK?</p>
<p>Red Sox reliever Adam Ottavino revealed sometimes he’ll ask a teammate on the field what they think he should throw in a big spot. He said it started with teammates Troy Tulowitzki and DJ LeMahieu when they played together in Colorado.</p>
<p>“I’ve been doing it a long time in my career,” he said before the game. “Sometimes you hear it from the great players, and it gives you confidence to throw the pitch with maybe a little more conviction.”</p>
<p>In his first year with Boston, he has started taking advice from Bogaerts. On Friday, he used it — striking out Ohtani with a slider. </p>
<p>TRAINER’S ROOM</p>
<p>Angels: Hoping to improve the majors’ worst staff with a 5.21 ERA entering Saturday, they acquired RHP Hunter Strickland from the Rays for a player to be named or cash. </p>
<p>Red Sox: RHP Garrett Whitlock was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list. Manager Alex Cora said was “under the weather” after receiving his second vaccine shot. … INF/OF Kiké Hernández (right hamstring strain) was the DH Saturday and is scheduled to play the outfield Sunday in a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester.</p>
<p>UP NEXT</p>
<p>Angels: LHP José Quintana (0-3, 9.00 ERA) looks to halt an 11-start winless stretch in Sunday’s series finale for his first victory since Sept. 5, 2019, when he was with the Cubs.</p>
<p>Red Sox: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 4.20) is set to start. He has a 58-inning homerless stretch, the MLB’s longest active streak. </p>
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