Double take

''I think the ball just took off," Damon said of his double, which at first appeared to be misjudged by Finley. ''I don't think there's one center fielder in the league that would have caught that ball. Even if he was playing deeper, your first reaction is to take a few steps in. I definitely wouldn't have caught that. I don't think guys like Torii Hunter or Andruw Jones would have, either. And Finley, he's one of the best -- but that was just the backspin."

Damon, who left the bases loaded in the second inning, was down in the count, 1 and 2, before delivering in the eighth.

Damon is now 5 for 10 with two doubles and 13 RBIs this season with the bases full.

''That was not an easy pitch to hit," said Sox manager Terry Francona. ''That ball really came off his bat. We've seen it. I hope we keep seeing it. Johnny just has a knack, not just with the bases loaded, but all the time. He fouls off tough pitches. It's hard to defense him."

Trot Nixon singled up the middle to begin the inning and stole second base while Jason Varitek was striking out. After Kevin Millar lined out to left field, Mueller was walked intentionally so Shields could pitch to Bellhorn. Francona opted against pinch hitting for his second baseman, and Bellhorn drew a walk.

That set the stage for the second important late-game hit in as many days -- following David Ortiz's walkoff homer Thursday afternoon to beat the Orioles -- and Damon obliged.

Sox starter David Wells went seven innings, allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out four. Myers (2-1) pitched the eighth and got the victory.

Wells's one bad inning was the fifth, when the Angels scored three runs, two on a Chone Figgins homer.

''That's my story this year, huh?" said Wells. ''Crooked numbers will get you every time, but you've got to battle. All you can do is pitch well enough to keep your team in the game. But the way these guys are hitting, it's unbelievable."

Angels starter Kelvim Escobar left with a 4-1 lead after six innings. The Angels had been 23-3 this season when leading after six, but the Sox bucked that trend.

With Brendan Donnelly on in relief in the seventh, the Sox rallied to tie it at 4-4.