Pena, Red Sox Top Angels

A day after Bret Saberhagen joined Tom Gordon on the disabled list, the Boston Red Sox found a bright spot on their pitching staff: Juan Pena.

Pena pitched six impressive innings in his major league debut, allowing only three hits and striking out eight Saturday as the Red Sox beat the Anaheim Angels 6-1.

"I was nervous coming in and during the first inning," the 21-year-old rookie said. "But I had a good breaking ball today and stayed ahead of the hitters."

Pena (1-0) walked just one. He became the first Boston pitcher to win in his major league debut since Vaughn Eshelman beat the New York Yankees on May 2, 1995.

"It was a great first game for him," Red Sox manager Jimy Williams said. "He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes and showed a lot of composure."

Pena led the International League with 146 strikeouts last season and also pitched a no-hitter. This year, the former 27th round choice in 1995 was 3-1 at Triple-A Pawtucket before getting called up.

"If we didn't have five starters coming out of spring training he would have made the staff," Boston pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said. "But we had a scouting staff meeting last week and he was the unanimous choice to be called up of all our pitchers."

Pena threw 88 pitches and had a three-ball count on only two hitters.

"He's a lot more mature and poised than his age would lead you to believe," Red Sox catcher Scott Hatteberg said. "He threw a lot of off-speed pitches and when he got two strikes, he put it in the dirt and that's what you want."

Derek Lowe finished with three innings of one-hit relief for his second save. He struck out three.

Anaheim lost its third straight game. The Angels have lost eight of their last 10 road games.

On Friday night, Pedro Martinez struck out 15 against the Angels.

"We're just not getting things done," Angels manager Terry Collins said. "I can understand striking out against Pedro Martinez. But eight times today that's ridiculous."

Tim Belcher (1-3) was tagged for six runs and 11 hts in 5 2-3 innings.

Mo Vaughn, playing his second game at Fenway Park as a Boston opponent, went 1-for-4 and struck out twice for the Angels.

"If I had come in here swinging and getting hits, I'd be disappointed," Vaughn said. "But I knew when I came in here I was not on top of my game."

The Red Sox broke open a 2-1 game with four runs in the sixth. Troy O'Leary led off with a double and scored on Hatteberg's one-out single.

Trot Nixon doubled with two outs, Jose Offerman hit a two-run single and John Valentin had an RBI double.

"We've really gotten back on track in our last four games," Offerman said. "We've been swinging the bats and with the pitching we've gotten the last two games we are getting the job done."

Boston took a 1-0 lead in the second on Darren Lewis' sacrifice fly. Nomar Garciaparra started the inning with a single off Belcher's right shoulder.

Darin Erstad's double in the Anaheim third tied it.

The Red Sox loaded the bases in the third when Offerman and Valentin singled and Reggie Jefferson was hit by a pitch. O'Leary later hit an RBI single.

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