It’s Valentin’s Day as Angel Streak Ends

BOSTON —  John Valentin hit two homers and Jim Leyritz hit one on Wednesday night as the Boston Red Sox beat Anaheim 8-4, ending the Angels’ six-game winning streak.

Valentin’s homers tied the game twice for the Red Sox, who have won 15 of 17. Leyritz led off the seventh with his fifth homer of the year to spark a four-run inning.

Tim Wakefield (2-1) gave up two earned runs and seven hits with two walks in 6 1/3 innings to improve to 2-1. The knuckleballer struck out two and threw 60 of his 80 pitches for strikes.

Tom Gordon got one out in the ninth for his ninth save.

Garret Anderson homered and went three for four Anaheim.

Allen Watson (1-3) gave up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The Angels led, 3-1, before Nomar Garciaparra, in a three for 24 slump, had a bunt single. Valentin followed with his second homer of the game and third of the year.

Boston added one in the sixth when Darren Lewis doubled and scored on Mike Benjamin’s single. The Red Sox sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh, following Leyritz’s homer with a with an RBI single by Jason Varitek and Garciaparra’s two-run triple.

Gary DiSarcina doubled and scored on Dave Hollins’ sacrifice fly in the third to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. But Valentin tied it in the bottom half.