Angels can’t hold on to lead in 4-2 loss to Red Sox

Reporting from Boston —  If it seems as though the Angels were thumped historically by the Boston Red Sox this season, that’s only because they were.

By losing at Fenway Park again Thursday — this time 4-2 — the Angels became the first team to be swept by Boston in a season series of at least six games in 100-plus years.

Evidently, when going back further than a century, the records become a little sketchy.

The latest defeat also was the Angels’ season-high sixth in a row overall and dropped them to 41-41. They haven’t been below .500 since losing on opening day.

“These guys are all playing hard,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “Everybody in that room is nicked up… We will get through this, for sure. We will play better baseball. We really believe that.”

The Angels finished 0-6 against the Red Sox, and that’s without having faced Chris Sale. No Angels team ever had played an entire season without beating Boston at least once.

They were outscored in the season series 49-12 and, entering Thursday, had given up in the first five meetings — chronologically — 10, nine, eight, nine and nine runs.

Rookie Jaime Barria finally put a stop to the chaos by limiting Boston to only a Rafael Devers solo homer through five innings.

At that point, the score was 1-1, and the Angels already had enjoyed the one-swing windfall that was Andrelton Simmons’ fourth-inning solo home run.

Simmons’ shot was the first time the Angels led Boston this season, a stretch that extended for 48 innings.

It also was their first lead over anyone since June 22, when they beat Toronto at home, 49 innings earlier.

But the good fortune didn’t last. After the Devers home run, Boston broke the tie in the sixth on a bases-loaded walk by reliever Jose Alvarez. The run — like the loss — was charged to Barria, who walked J.D. Martinez before being lifted.

“Jose’s definitely a strike thrower,” Scioscia said. “He just missed with one.”

Richards to have rehab start

Garrett Richards (hamstring) is set to start Friday for single-A Inland Empire in his latest step toward rejoining the rotation. If all goes well, he could start for the Angels on Wednesday in Seattle.

That starting spot, at the moment, is being occupied by Felix Pena, a converted reliever who has pitched nine innings total in two starts.

Infielder Jefry Marte (wrist) also will play for the 66ers on Friday in his first rehabilitation start.

Short hops

Reliever Jake Jewell is scheduled to undergo surgery Friday for a fractured right fibula. He’ll miss the rest of the season. The rookie was injured Wednesday against Boston on a play at the plate… Zack Cozart, who also is out for the season, will have surgery on his left shoulder Friday… The Angels added relievers Eduardo Paredes and Taylor Cole from triple-A Salt Lake and optioned infielder Nolan Fontana back down.

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