Anaheim, CA -- (Sports Network) - John Lackey was solid in seven innings and Garret Anderson went 4-for-4 with five runs driven in, as the LA Angels of Anaheim crushed the Boston Red Sox, 11-3, in the opener of a three-game set.

Lackey (7-2) allowed just three runs on five hits while walking two. Lackey also fanned six batters, giving him 1,004 K's for his career.

"Tonight was great, we scored a ton of runs," Lackey said. "I would only take one pitch back, that was the one to Kevin Youkilis."

Maicer Izturis and Howie Kendrick each recorded two RBI for the Angels, who have won three in a row. Vladimir Guerrero also added an RBI in the win.

Clay Buchholz (2-5) took the loss as he surrendered eight runs -- four earned -- on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Youkilis hit a two-run home run and Manny Ramirez had a solo shot for the Red Sox, who are 5-2 over their last seven contests and have dropped 8- of-10 road games to fall a half-game behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the top spot in the AL East.

LA wasted no time in getting on the board. Casey Kotchman hit a one-out double in the first and came around as Izturis followed with another double. Guerrero kept the rally going with an RBI single and Torii Hunter worked a walk. Anderson chipped in an RBI single, and it was 3-0 Angels.

"Clay had a long first inning, 37 pitches," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "I thought he held it together after that."

Boston got two back in the second inning. Ramirez led off with a single and, two batters later, Youkilis deposited a Lackey fastball over the fence in left.

The Sox evened things up at three in the fourth as Ramirez led off the frame with a homer to right field. However, the Angels countered in the home fourth as Anderson opened the inning with a shot to right, and it was 4-3.

The Angels then extended their lead in the fifth inning. With one out, Kotchman singled and Izturis walked. Guerrero advanced the runners with a line drive that bounced off Buchholz's foot and directly to Youkilis at first.

Hunter then grounded into what looked like an inning-ending out to second, but Alex Cora misplayed the ball, allowing Kotchman to score and Izturis to reach third. Anderson followed with an RBI single and David Aardsma was called on in relief. Juan Rivera then worked a walk and Kendrick smacked a two-run single to left to boost the Angels' lead to 8-3.

LA tacked on three more runs to make it 11-3 in the sixth off Javier Lopez. Chone Figgins led off with a double, moved to third on Kotchman's ground out and scored as Izturis followed with a triple. Guerrero then reached on a fielder's choice, which rendered Izturis out at home. Hunter followed with a double and Anderson hit a two-run single, chasing Lopez in favor of Mike Timlin, who got out of the jam.

Game Notes

Los Angeles holds a 58-38 record, which is the best in baseball. Boston, meanwhile, is 57-41...The Angels took two of three from the Red Sox when these clubs clashed at Fenway Park from April 22-24. It was a small measure of revenge for Los Angeles, which lost six of 10 against Boston last year before getting swept in the 2007 ALDS by the eventual world champs...The Red Sox haven't been lower than second in the division since April 28, when they occupied the third spot...Time of game was 2:35.