(Sports Network) - Josh Beckett tries to pitch the Boston Red Sox into the American League Championship Series this evening, as the defending world champions attempt to complete a three-game sweep over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Fenway Park.

Boston pushed the Halos to the brink of elimination on Friday, as J.D. Drew's two-run home run off star closer Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth inning broke a tie game, helping the Red Sox continue their postseason dominance of the Angels with a 7-5 victory in Game 2 of the best-of-five ALDS at Angel Stadium.

It was the Red Sox' 11th straight postseason win over the Angels, the most consecutive playoff victories over one opponent in MLB history. A win tonight would vault them into the ALCS for the fourth time in the last six years.

Drew, who was suffering from a lower back strain before the series, finished 3- for-5 with three RBI, while Jason Bay chipped in a three-run homer during his three-hit effort for the Sox, who are attempting to become the first back- to- back World Series champions since the Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000.

Jonathan Papelbon (1-0) recorded the final six outs, including a perfect ninth, to get the win for Boston, which has won nine straight postseason games overall. Papelbon extended his career postseason scoreless streak to 17 2/3 innings in 11 appearances.

Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was undefeated in 13 starts on the road in the regular season, struggled through five innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and three walks to go with five strikeouts.

Rodriguez (0-1) shattered the major league record with 62 saves this season but was saddled with the loss behind Ervin Santana, who battled back after a rough first inning to allow five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 frames.

Teixeira and Vladimir Guerrero each had three hits for the Angels, who were just 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position while stranding 11 total runners. Torii Hunter finished 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI for LA, which has dropped nine straight playoff games overall.

Anaheim has a tall task in front of it, as there has only been one team - the 2001 New York Yankees - to rally back to win a division series after losing the first two games at home.

Beckett, meanwhile, was slated to start Game 1 of this series, but was pushed back after straining his oblique in a bullpen session during the final weekend of the regular season.

Perhaps the best postseason pitcher of this generation, Beckett won all four of his playoff starts a year ago, including a brilliant four-hit shutout over the Angels in the ALDS. He is 6-2 all-time in the playoffs with a 1.73 ERA in 10 games (nine starts).

Beckett, though, was just 12-10 with a 4.03 ERA this season after winning 19 games a season ago,

Getting the ball in Game Three for the Angels will be left-hander Joe Saunders, who is 4-0 in six starts against the Red Sox, while pitching to a 2.89 ERA.

Saunders won a career-high 17 games this season despite trying to pass a kidney stone down the stretch.

Boston began its charge towards its seventh World Series title a year ago with a three- game sweep of the Angels. That whitewash followed up another sweep by the Red Sox, who disposed of the Halos in three games back in 2004 en route to their first world championship since 1918.

These teams also met up in 1986, when Boston rallied back from a three games- to-one deficit to win a dramatic seventh game.

Los Angeles, though, dominated the regular season matchup with the Red Sox, winning the final eight of its nine meetings with them.

The Angels were the first 100-game winners in baseball since the 2005 St. Louis Cardinals and the first in the American League since the 2004 New York Yankees. The Angels are also the first team since those Cardinals to win 50 (or more) games at home and on the road.

Unfortunately, the 2005 Cardinals lost to the Houston Astros in the NLCS, while the 2004 Yankees lost to the Red Sox in the ALCS.

Game 4 of this series, if necessary, will be played on Monday at Fenway Park.