Projo Sports Blog

BOSTON _ If they had played their usual solid fundamental baseball all night, the Los Angeles Angels could have made their survival work last night much easier.

The team that won more games than any other club in the majors this summer is known for playing the game right, for not making mistakes. Last night, already down two games to none to the Red Sox in the ALDS, the Angels made a huge mistake in the second inning that cost them three runs.

It did not prove to be fatal.

The Angels fought back and finally found a way to beat the Red Sox in the playoffs, 5-4 in 12 innings. The game that ended Boston's nine-game post-season winning streak was a memorable one.

It went five hours and 19 minutes, saw the teams combine to throw 440 pitches (225 by the Angels), 38 players take part, and a combined 27 men left on base (16 by the Angels). In the end, it was a good fundamental display in the 12th that kept the Angels alive to fight another day.

Mike Napoli got it started. He had been the hero all night, with two home runs early against Boston started Josh Beckett to account for the three of the first four Angels' runs. Napoli led off the 12th by drilling a single to left off reliever Javier Lopez, who had just entered the game.

Manager Mike Scioscia called for a sacrifice and Howie Kendrick delivered, with a perfect bunt up the first-base line to advance Napoli.

Erick Aybar, who was 0-for-14 in the series to that point, singled to center to score Napoli. The Angels found their first victory in 12 playoff games against the Sox, going back to 1986, a sweet one.

``We're always together. We're a very confident team,'' Aybar said.

``We felt we were going to play better,'' said Scioscia. ``Although we had that miscue tonight that cost us three runs, still, we played a much better game. I feel good about that.''

``We played a good baseball game. We fell one run short,'' said Sox captain Jason Varitek. ``But if we continue to do that we'll give ourselves chances to win games.''

The only finger-pointing in the Boston locker room saw several players blaming themselves. They included Lopez, the losing pitcher.

``Obviously, it's frustrating,'' he said of giving up the deciding run after the Boston bullpen had combined for six shutout innings. ``We battled all night long. You never want to be that guy (that loses it), but tonight I am. That's the way it is. That's how baseball works.''

``It's a tough loss, obviously,'' agreed second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who went 0-for-5 and continued hitless in the series. ``It's my fault, man. I've got to get on base. I've got to help our team win. I haven't done that in the whole series. Everyone else is battling. I am, too, but there are no results.''

``I'm frustrated,'' Pedroia continued. ``I've hit some balls hard but I just didn't get anything going,'' It's a tough time to go 0-for-13 or whatever the heck I am. I'll battle. Everyone knows that. It's not lack of effort. I've got to find a way to get on base for these guys.'''

``We're still up two games to one,'' Pedroia noted. ``We like our positions. If we started the series and we said we were up two games to one, we'd be pretty excited about it. We've just got to find a way to win one more game.''

Early on, the Angels did not look like the team that won 100 games this season. They had all kinds of chances to break the game open against Josh Beckett, who struggled coming off an oblique injury.

Beckett went five innings, his shortest post-season started ever, and gave up nine hits, the most ever in the playoffs. Napoli, the Angels catcher, had never had a hit against him, but he had two home runs this time.

``We hung a breaking ball to him (in the third) and left a sinker up (in the fifth),'' Varitek said. ``We knew he had power.''

Beckett needed 91 pitches (only 48 strikes) to get through the first four innings. In that time, Los Angeles put 11 runners on base. Twice, in the first and fourth, Beckett got out bases loaded jams.

He needed 30 pitches to get through the first inning alone. As it was the Angels scored once to take the lead. Chone Figgins doubled just inside the line in right on the first pitch of the game. Beckett walked Vladimir Guerrero, Torii Hunter had an infield single and Juan Rivera walked to force home Figgins. Beckett got out of further trouble by retiring Mike Napoli on the fielder's choice.

The Angels opened the door for Boston in the second when they gift-wrapped three runs for Boston. They came, as so many of the Boston runs have in this series, with two outs. Angels' starter Joe Saunders began the inning by retiring Jason Bay and Mike Lowell. Jed Lowrie walked, Varitek singled and then Coco Crisp walked to load the bases.

The count went full to Jacoby Ellsbury, allowing runners to take off. Ellsbury hit a short pop fly to center. Either second baseman Howie Kendrick or center fielder Torii Hunter could have caught it. Kendrick got within a few steps of the ball. But he turned and looked toward Hunter, who was looking at him.

The ball fell. Because Crisp was running hard all the way, he scored easily, making it a three-run single for Ellsbury. According to Elias Stat bureau, it was the first-ever three-run single in a post-season game.

Both teams scored a run in the fifth, the Angels on Kendrick's second home run. The bullpens took over from there, keeping the game scoreless until Los Angeles won it in the 12th.

 Tags  ALDS Angels Dustin Pedrioa Jacoby Ellsbury Red Sox

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