The 1986 American League Championship Series was a back-and-forth battle between the Boston Red Sox and the California Angels for the right to advance to the 1986 World Series to face the winner of the 1986 National League Championship Series. The Red Sox came in with a 95–66 record and the AL East division title, while the Angels went 92–70 during the regular season to win the AL West.

Boston won the series, 4–3.

Tuesday, October 7, 1986, at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts

Angels left fielder Brian Downing went 2-for-5 with four RBI and Mike Witt pitched a five-hit complete game, allowing just one run in the sixth on Marty Barrett's RBI single after a two-out walk and single. After getting two outs, Red Sox starter Roger Clemens walked two in the second before Ruppert Jones's RBI single, Wally Joyner's RBI double, and Downing's two-run single put the Angels up 4–0. Gary Pettis's RBI single with two on extended their lead to 5–0, the run unearned due to shortstop Spike Owen's throwing error to first on Bob Boone's ground-ball. In the eighth, Dick Schofield singled with one out, stole second and scored on Boone's single. After a Pettis single, Joe Sambito relieved Clemens and allowed a two-out walk to load the bases, then Downing's two-run single capped the game's scoring at 8–1 as the Angels took a 1–0 series lead.

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