Pedro Martinez rebounded from a wretched September by pitching seven effective innings and Manny Ramirez hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly that sent the wild-card Red Sox over the Angels for a 2-0 edge in their AL playoff series.

With two wins at Angel Stadium, the Red Sox will try to sweep the best-of-five matchup on Friday at Fenway Park. Bronson Arroyo starts against Kelvim Escobar.

Angels reliever Francisco Rodriguez, who won a record-tying five postseason games two years ago to help Anaheim win the World Series, threw a wild pitch that set up Ramirez's sacrifice fly in the seventh for a 4-3 lead.

Boston broke it open in the ninth. Ramirez doubled, Trot Nixon hit an RBI single and Orlando Cabrera lined a three-run double off Brendan Donnelly.

Martinez lost his final four starts last month. But he gave up three runs and six hits, striking out six and walking two. He retired his last seven batters and left after 116 pitches.

Mike Timlin took over in the eighth with a one-run lead, gave up a single to Darin Erstad and struck out Vladimir Guerrero.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona then summoned Mike Myers, who struck out Garret Anderson. Next up, Keith Foulke relieved and fanned Troy Glaus to end the inning.

Foulke finished up in the ninth for a save.

Guerrero's first postseason hit - a two-run single with one out in the fifth - put the Angels on top 3-1.

The Red Sox tied it in the sixth on Jason Varitek's two-run homer after a two-out single by Millar.

The Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the second when Ramirez drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk off Bartolo Colon, who worked six innings.

The Angels tied it in their half on an RBI single by rookie Dallas McPherson before Martinez pitched out of a two-on, no-out jam.