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Saturday, October 10, 2009

Oh Dreamweaver


Yikes. In a carbon copy game of the night before, the Boston Red Sox got another decent start by its starting pitcher but couldn't get anything going offensively against the Angels' starter and as a result lost 4-1 in game 2 of the ALDS.

Through two games, Boston has combined for eight total hits and one run. It's baffling. Most expected this to be a tough series since the Angels had to beat the Sox in the playoffs at some point but this is just pathetic.

Victor Martinez actually gave Boston a 1-0 lead in the fourth as he singled home Jacoby Ellsbury (2 hits), who had led off the inning with a triple.

Other than that, Jered Weaver was lights out. The lanky, stereotypical Southern Californian went 7.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Josh Beckett was cruising until the seventh inning. The Angels tied it in the fourth when Kendry Morales knocked in Bobby Abreu with a sacrifice fly.

Maicer Izturis gave his team a 2-1 lead in the seventh with an RBI single but Erick Aybar (2 hits) had the big play of the night. He hit a two-run triple to center over Ellsbury's head and the Angels grabbed a three-run lead (4-1). Just like in game 1, once Los Angeles went up by more than a run, you had a feeling that was goodnight.

Boston's bats can't get anything going. They're seeing a lot of pitches but they're not working walks or starting rallies.

Jonathan Papelbon threw a scoreless ninth (hopefully its not the last time he's used in the series) but the Angels bullpen was better. Darren Oliver got a strikeout, Kevin Jepsen recorded two outs and Brian Fuentes notched the last two outs in the ninth for the save.

The 2009 Red Sox season could end tomorrow afternoon at Fenway. It's crazy to think that a team that many considered a dark-horse to get to the World Series has been so lifeless. Still, it's only a 2-0 deficit which is doable (four teams have come back from it; including the Sox in '99 vs. the Indians and '03 vs. the A's) if Clay Buchholz pitches well tomorrow and they start making a couple big plays.

Former Rays pitcher Scott Kazmir gets the start for the Angels tomorrow as they try to move on to the ALCS.

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