Short shelf life
Like playoff run, boost was fleeting
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Baseball managers are creatures of habit, so if it worked in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, why would Mike Scioscia deviate now?
The Angels' skipper wasn't about to go away from what worked in Sunday night's 5-4 victory over the Red Sox at Fenway Park, which explained why he did not back down from his pregame comments Sunday, when, in response to a question about the Cubs getting eliminated from the National League playoffs the night before, Scioscia defiantly proclaimed, "We're not getting eliminated tonight."
Asked before last night's game if he was confident enough to make the same statement, Scioscia shot back, "Let me say this, if there are more questions out there about me doing some kind of forensic analysis or pre-mortem, I'm going to have the same response. We're going to win."
After snapping an 11-game playoff losing streak to the Sox that dated to 1986, the Halos failed to back up their manager's prediction last night, falling, 3-2, and failing to send the series back to California.
The Angels had tied the game in the eighth on Torii Hunter's two-run single to right, but with a chance to seize the lead in the ninth, Erick Aybar failed to execute a suicide squeeze bunt and Reggie Willits was tagged out by Jason Varitek trying to get back to third base.
The Sox scored the winning run minutes later, and instead of preparing for Game 5, the Halos were preparing for a long red-eye flight home. The 100-win team with the AL's best record could only stave elimination for one day.
Weaver was looming
Almost lost in the wave of relievers Scioscia summoned in Game 3 was Jered Weaver, who picked up the victory in his first career relief appearance.Weaver came on in the bottom of the 11th and picked up a pair of strikeouts. Then in the 12th, Weaver wrapped up the Angels' victory by retiring Kevin Youkilis (fly to center), Jason Bay (strikeout looking), and Alex Cora (ground out to third) after issuing a leadoff walk to David Ortiz.
"You know walking in from the bullpen is a little different for a starting pitcher," Scioscia said.
"But he was prepared, he was ready. I think once he made his warmup pitches, he crossed that bridge and he was ready to go."
End around
Prior to Game 3, the Angels were getting no production from the bottom three in their order (2 for 24 with 11 strikeouts). But Sunday night the 7-8-9 batters were the difference for LA, led by catcher Mike Napoli, who had a pair of home runs among his three hits. He drove in three runs and also scored the winning run in the 12th on No. 9 batter Aybar's single. Last night, the Angels' 7-8-9 batters were 3 for 11, including a pinch-hit single by Kendry Morales . . . The Angels' 3-4-5 hitters, who entered the game batting a combined 20 for 39 (.519) in the series, went 0 for 8 with a walk against Sox starter Jon Lester. After Lester departed, the heart of the Angels' order manufactured the tying runs in the eighth against Hideki Okajima and Justin Masterson . . . John Lackey is still looking for his first playoff win since Game 7 of the 2002 World Series. The righthander has lost his last three decisions - including Game 1 this series, in which he allowed two runs on four hits - and the Angels have now lost his last six postseason starts.
