October 6,
2007 ...
No game scheduled ...
After two games, Vlad Guerrero is batting a team-leading .286, but he
has no home runs, no RBIs, and no walks. He is still waiting for his
first extra base hit. The Angels needs him to put up some numbers -
quickly. As a team, the Angels are batting .167. Of their 11 hits,
three have been doubles and the rest singles. And now they get to
face one of the best clutch pitchers in postseason history, Curt
Schilling, on 11 days' rest. Schilling's numbers in the "second
season" speak for themselves: 8-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 15 career
starts. The Angels had the majors' best home record (54-27) this
season, but awaiting their bleary red eyes (and Garret Anderson's
pink eye) is a well-rested Schilling, who because he flew ahead of
the club was unaware of the new handle he's been given by Papelbon.
Their ace,
John Lackey, is now 1-7 lifetime against the Red Sox. Friday night's starter,
Kelvim Escobar, exhibited flashes of nasty stuff, but in two career postseason
starts against Boston, he has an ERA of 8.64. Tomorrow's starter, Jered Weaver,
is a tantalizing young talent, but it's unfair to pin your season on him,
especially matched up against Schilling.
The Angels,
meanwhile, are two decades and counting of watching the Sox celebrate at their
expense, usually after a late-inning home run. The Angels have lost eight
postseason exercises in a row to the Red Sox, a streak that began with home runs
by Don Baylor and Dave Henderson in Game 5 of the '86 ALCS, resumed with Ortiz's
walkoff home run off Jarrod Washburn in Game 3 of a sweep in the '04 Division
Series, and has them a game from elimination after Beckett's shutout in Game 1
and Ramirez's walkoff surrendered by K-Rod, Francisco Rodriguez.
Scioscia
acknowledged his team is not in a desirable position, but warned against writing
the Angels off before they've had a chance to counter in their stadium.
Dustin
Pedroia was among the Sox regulars who worked out today and waved off any
concern about the left shoulder he jammed while diving for Kendry Morales's
ground ball in the second inning Friday night. Manager Terry Francona said
Pedroia was fine.
Manny
Ramirez's home run was the ninth walkoff hit struck by a Sox player in
postseason play, the fifth since the most famous of them all, Carlton Fisk's
home run off the left-field foul pole in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. Trot
Nixon hit a home run in Game 3 of the 2003 ALDS against the Athletics, and Ortiz
hit the next three: a home run to clinch the '04 ALDS against the Angels, a
12th-inning home run to win Game 4 of the '04 ALCS against the Yankees, and a
14th-inning single to beat the Yankees in Game 5.
