The Boston Red Sox swept the 100-win Angels to the side in four games, dismissing their best-in-baseball regular season as yesterday’s news.

Jason Bay scored with a headfirst slide on Jed Lowrie’s two-out single in the ninth inning and the defending World Series champions took advantage of a squeeze, beating Los Angeles 3-2 Monday night to win their first-round playoff series in four games.

The Boston Red Sox, who won it all in 2004, will have a chance at a third title in five years if it can get past the Rays in the best-of-seven AL championship series that starts Friday night at Tampa Bay.

Slugger Manny Ramirez’s tumultuous relationship with the Boston Red Sox is finally over.

Ramirez has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Red Sox will pay the remaining $7 million of Ramirez’s contract owed for this season. Ramirez, the MVP of the 2004 World Series, remains one of baseball’s best hitters and has enjoyed lots of career-defining moments with the franchise. But his relationship with the Red Sox went sour again recently, prompting the All-Star outfielder to agree to the deal.

Outfielder Jason Bay is going to Boston and the Pittsburgh Pirates get four minor leaguers as part of the three-way deal. Third baseman Andy LaRoche and right-handed pitcher Bryan Morris will go to the Pirates from the Dodgers. Outfielder Brandon Moss and right-handed pitcher will leave the Red Sox organization for Pittsburgh.