That hurts. The doubleheader game the Angels figured to take from the Boston Red Sox was a complete disaster, ending in an 8-4 defeat. Needing a lengthy outing from John Lackey, the right-hander threw 46 pitches in a six-run first inning for the Red Sox. He was gone after four innings having thrown 97 pitches.

The Angels got their hits off Red Sox newcomer Clay Buchholz, just not enough timely ones. Buchholz allowed three walks and eight hits but rode the offensive support to the status of newest hero in Red Sox Nation. The outing was Buchholz’s major-league debut and outside the park free Buchholz T-shirts were going to anybody who purchased a bootleg, unlicensed program.

With their late-night arrival in Boston and their early wakeup call for the first game of the doubleheader, the Angels simply looked tired. Vladimir Guerrero threw a ball away for an error and a Red Sox run. Communication was even an issue. Guerrero and Reggie Willits bumped in right-center with Guerrero making the catch. Garret Anderson and Chone Figgins collided in short left field with Figgins making the catch.

There simply wasn’t much to remember about this one. Now the Angels have to face 15-game winner Josh Beckett in Game 2 and try to hold him off with newly recalled Ervin Santana. Hey, the Red Sox were able to trash a 15-game winner in Lackey. For now, their best hope is to do the same to Beckett.