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David Ortiz was scheduled to get the night off, though he told Boston manager John Farrell he was available.

"We'd be crazy not to use David, given his production and capability," Farrell said.

So Ortiz came in to pinch-hit for Brandon Snyder with the Red Sox clinging to a one-run lead in the eighth inning. The slugger responded with a two-run homer to help Boston beat the Angels 6-2 in the series opener on Friday night.

"I don't like pinch-hitting," he said. "I don't think I'm that good."

Ortiz, batting .321 on the season with 17 homers and 61 RBI, has gone 15 for 36 (.417) over his last 11 games with seven RBI over that span.

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