IST Angels - Red Sox

[Frayed Knot]

Jon Lester & John Lackey

Angels won 8 of 9 this season, although haven't been able to beat the Sawx in post-season play anytime recently.

Josh Beckett has been pushed back to Game 3 because he's not healthy.
Neither is Mike Lowell although I think he's in the lineup tonight.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Lackey is a horse. Dare I say it, he brings honor to the No. 41 uniform.

[Elster88]

[HahnSolo]

What's with the Angels in the postseason? they own the Yankees but can't beat the Red Sox.

[Frayed Knot]

Game 2, 9:30
Sox lead 1-0

Matsuzaka: 18-3, 2.90
vs
Earvin Santana: 16-7, 3.49

[Benjamin Grimm]

HahnSolo wrote: What's with the Angels in the postseason? they own the Yankees but can't beat the Red Sox.

I read that they've lost ten consecutive playoff games to the Red Sox.

I wonder, does that date back to the 1986 ALCS?

[HahnSolo]

Yup, the first of those ten was the Donnie Moore game.

[Frayed Knot]

Yup - which is why it's so dumb to quote stuff like that. Like there's actually some connection once you're beyond 2 or 3 seasons.

The streak consists of the game from the other day
plus the 3-game sweep last season
the 3-game sweep in 2004
and the final 3 games of the '86 ALCS

[Frayed Knot]

Game 3:

Sox down 1-0 in the 2nd when Ellsbury pops up w/2-out & the bases loaded ... only 2Bman Kendrick and CF Hunter play 'You got It' and the ball falls untouched and all 3 runs score.

I keep hearing what a great fundamental team the Angels are yet every time I see them it seems like their making mistakes somewhere - eapecially by making a ton of outs on the basepaths.
Their pitching carries them more often than not and that allows you to win games when you're not playing sound ball.

Becket's been laboring from the beginning.

And, in typcial RedSox/AL tradition, it took them over an hour to play the first 2 innings.

[stevejrogers]

We are through 12, 4-4 game.

[stevejrogers]

And the Angels break through, 5-4, going to the bottom of the 12th.

[stevejrogers]

Big Papi walks with the tying run on first to lead off the inning.

[stevejrogers]

Jered Weaver gets two big outs, Alex Cora is the last hope for the Sawk tonight.

[stevejrogers]

Game over, 5-4 finale. Both ALDS series are going 4!

[metirish]

It's funny how some in the baseball media are trying to tot up how much money K-Rod is costing himself with the Drew home run the other night. His agent is funny too , recently saying that K-Rod would be looking for at least five years at Mariano money.

[Frayed Knot]

Game 4:

- Francona pulls Lester despite 7 shutout innings and only a 2-run lead.
- Okajima gets the first two in the 8th but then walks Teixeira and now Masterson will come in to face Vlad.

[Frayed Knot]

And it backfires on him as the Angels get a big two-out hit from Toriiiiii to tie it up.
Now they're threatening to go ahead in the 9th following a leadoff 2B & bunt.

[Frayed Knot]

And they miss the squeeze play!!! and Boston gets out of the inning.

Scoscia plays a little too much small ball for my tastes, although that wasn't a bad time to try a squeeze. Still, he gave up two outs bunting after a leadoff double was the possible winning run.

[Frayed Knot]

And the Sawx win in the 9th on a bloop and a bleeder.

and they're loving that dirty water