BOSTON — Exactly five hours of playing time. More than 2½ hours of rain delay. A total of 14 pitchers and 13 innings.

And, finally, one decisive swing.

Bobby Abreu hit a two-run, two-out single off first-time reliever Daisuke Matsuzaka in the 13th and the Los Angeles Angels closed out a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox at 2:45 a.m. on the East Coast on Thursday.

“It was a game where there could have been some letdown,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said, “but the guys hung in there and came out in the end.”

Boston, hitless for the first 6 1-3 innings, tied the score with two runs in the ninth inning and nearly won it in the 12th against Trevor Bell (1-0), but Marco Scutaro was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first on Kevin Youkilis’ double high off the wall in left.