Fearsome Red Sox Hitters? Ha! Angels Pitchers Dominate
Jered Weaver turned in the second dominating performance by an Angels pitcher in two games. The result? The Angels are in control.
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ANAHEIM, CA - OCTOBER 09: Starting pitcher Jered Weaver #36 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim delivers a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning of Game Two of the ALDS during the MLB playoffs at Angel Stadium on October 9, 2009 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Through 18 innings of playoff baseball, that vaunted Red Sox lineup has scored just one run on eight hits. Last year in this same playoff matchup, the Angels had given up 11 runs on 22 hits in two games.
That is why the Angles have a commanding 2-0 lead in the series this year as it heads back to Boston.
On Friday night Jered Weaver, the Simi Valley boy turned Long Beach State star (although 49er fans would have trouble recognizing him Friday night with the short hair), controlled the game, giving up just one run on two hits through seven and a third innings, and the Angels went on to win 4-1. Weaver struck out seven and walked just two, continuing the dominant performances he had the last month of the season.
Weaver’s performance followed seven innings of shutout ball from John Lackey the night before. In the three-and-a-third innings the bullpen has been asked to pitch this series, they have given up two hit and no runs. Boston, for all the star power and high priced, big name hitters in the lineup, has mostly just looked outmatched. And the fans at Angels Stadium have loved every second of it.
There was no doubt this Los Angeles Angels team was going to score runs, and Friday night was a good example of why — it was the very bottom of the Angels order that did most of the damage.
With the score 1-1 in the seventh inning, clean-up hitter Vladimir Guerrero walks and Angel Manager Mike Scioscia decides to use speed to score a run and puts Howie Kendrick in to pinch run, Kendrick then promptly steals second. With two outs, seven hitter Maicer Izturis singles to center, scoring Hendrick. Then it’s back to speed — Izturis steals second. Josh Becket then hits Mike Napoli with a pitch. The hitter in the nine spot, Eric Aybar, triples to center field driving in Izturis and Napoli, and the game is all but over.
The series is not over — the Angels have to win on more game and the series shifts to Fenway Park, which has been Waterloo for the Angels in the past.
But in baseball history, 35 teams have taken a 2-0 lead after two games of a best-of-five series. Of that, 31 went on to win. If you’re an Angels fan, you have got to like those odds, regardless of where the next two games are played.
