The Sox' 2009 offense remained half-buried in mothballs, as they mustered seven hits for just three runs in a 6-3 loss to the Angels in their first road game of the season.

Although their third loss in a row featured a very strong start from Angels righty Jered Weaver (6 2/3 innings, four hits, one unearned run) on a night fraught with emotion because of the tragic death of young Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart Thursday morning, the Sox again failed to muster much of an attack.

In the three games since a 5-3 Opening Day victory, the Sox have scored only eight runs with 22 hits.

The measly output wasted a decent season debut from knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who allowed three runs, all in the second inning, and lasted six frames. He walked five, struck out four and gave up six hits.

Justin Masterson came in to start the seventh inning and allowed three runs on four hits to put a game that already felt one-sided become one.

With the loss, the Red Sox fell to 1-3 and into the AL East cellar.

While Wakefield overall was good, he was as streaky as ever.

In the first inning, Wakefield started out smooth as silk, retiring the first two batters. Then it got rough. He walked Bobby Abreu and Vladimir Guerrero, then plunked Torii Hunter to load the bases. A foul pop-up by Kendry Morales snuffed the threat.

The second inning was Wakefield's early downfall. It began with a walk to Gary Matthews Jr., then a Jeff Mathis single. Maicer Izturis hit a sharp grounder to Mike Lowell, who stepped on third base for the quick out, but his throw to second was off-target and Mathis was safe there and so was Izturis at first.

Chone Figgins, a .333 hitter in his career against Wakefield coming in, doubled in Mathis for the 1-0 Angels lead. The next batter, Howie Kendrick, also a .333 hitter against Wakefield, singled in both Izturis and Figgins and the Angels were up, 3-0.

There was still just one out at this point, and Abreu followed with a single. But before the game got out of control, the creaky-legged Guerrero grounded into a double play.

Wakefield got into a groove the next two innings, retiring three on strikeouts. But the fifth inning started out ominously, with the first three batters reaching on a pair of singles and then a walk.

Faced with an opportunity to blow it open, the Angels declined to seize it. Morales flied out to right, Matthews popped up to short and Mathis lined out to left.

Weaver, a close friend of Adenhart, breezed through the first inning, then looked sharp by stranding two in the second.

In the third, Jacoby Ellsbury singled with one out. He then stole second, and when catcher Jeff Mathis' throw sailed into the outfield, Ellsbury got to third easily. After Dustin Pedroia walked, David Ortiz waited until the ninth pitch from Weaver to line a sacrifice fly to center field to put the Sox on the scoreboard.

In the next three innings, however, the Red Sox could barely touch Weaver, who faced the minimum.

- msilverman@bostonherald.com