The post season does something to certain guys. Reggie Jackson had it. Catfish Hunter and Bob Gibson had it too. The players of today have their own post season heroes. David Ortiz, Derek Jeter and Curt Schilling have it.
So does Josh Beckett.
In an absolutely dominating complete game performance Beckett held the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in check in leading the Boston Red Sox to a 4-0 shut out in Game One of the American League Division Series on Wednesday night.
Beckett threw a four hit compete game shut out, walking no one and striking out eight. For Beckett, who has just four regular season complete games in his career, it was his third career post season complete game shut out.
In his first playoff start since 2003, when he led the Florida Marlins to their second World Series title in 7 seasons, Beckett got staked to an early 1-0 thanks to the bat of Kevin Youkilis. With one out in the bottom of first inning Youkilis took Angels starter John Lackey deep into the Monster Seats in left centerfield for the quick lead. David Ortiz singled to left and Manny Ramirez smoked a ball off of Maicer Izturis’ glove for an infield hit and the Sox were threatening for more. This brought Los Angeles pitching coach Mike Butcher out for a visit to calm Lackey and give Izturis a chance to find his hand. Lackey was able to settle down and get Mike Lowell to foul out and JD Drew bounced out to third to get off the hook.
The Sox came back at Lackey in the bottom of the second as Jason Varitek singled to right but Coco Crisp hit into a 4-3 double play. Julio Lugo singled to right on a 2-1 pitch with two out but ended up getting erased at second on a steal attempt with Dustin Pedroia at the plate to end the inning. Replays showed that second base umpire Brian Runge missed the call, as Orlando Cabrera didn’t get the glove on Lugo.
Beckett, meanwhile was just mowing his way through the Los Angeles line up, after a 1st inning lead off single by Chone Figgins he set down the next 9 Angels in-a-row, two of them (Garrett Anderson and Figgins) coming via the strike out and was working on being dominate.
In the third the Red Sox would pad their lead once again with Youkilis in the mix. With one out, Youkilis doubled down the line in left for his 2nd hit of the night. He came around to score when Ortiz’ second hit of the night ended up in the right field seats near the Pesky Pole for a 2 run home run and a 3-0 lead. Ramirez walked, got to second on a wild pitch and scored when Lowell singled to center and it was 4-0 Boston. But Drew would ground into a 4-6-3 twin killing and Lackey escaped without further damage.
Both pitchers would cruise through the fourth inning, both had bookend strikeouts in their half inning. Beckett whiffed Cabrera and got Anderson for the second time while getting Vladimir Guerrero to ground out. It was the 12th Angel in a row that Beckett had set down. Lackey would set down Varitek and Lugo via the K and Crisp on a pop out and have a quick 1-2-3 inning himself.
It was now starting to turn into a pitchers game as we went into the 5th. Beckett worked another 1-2-3 inning in the fifth with another whiff, this one of Casey Kotchman, while Lackey had a pair of strikeouts. These at the expense of Youkilis and Ramirez, he also worked in a ground out by Pedroia and a two out walk to Ortiz.
Beckett retired 19 Angels in-a-row before Guerrero singled to left with one out in the 7th to break the streak. Beckett then retired Anderson on a pop out and Izturis on a fielder’s choice and went to the dug out leading 4-0 after 6 and half.
Lackey was replaced by Ervin Santana in the 7th and he would retire all 6 batter he faced in two innings of work. It included a pair of strikeouts of Lugo and Pedroia. Lackey (0-1) went 6 innings gave up 4 runs all earned on 9 hits, walked two and struck out four.
Beckett (1-0) hit a little skid in the eighth with one out he gave up a single to Howie Kendrick, pinch hitter Erick Aybar hit into a fielder’s choice to erase Kendrick. Beckett then bore down and finished the inning with his 8th strikeout, this one of pinch hitter Kendry Morales, on his 101st pitch. He walked off to a thunderous applause of the Fenway faithful and deservedly so.
Beckett returned for the ninth and Figgins was the first out when Jacoby Ellsbury, just in the game as a defensive replacement for Ramirez, made a nice sliding catch. Cabrera grounded out to Lowell and Guerrero momentarily silenced the Fenway crowd with his second hit, a single to center, but they would rise again when Anderson flew out to Crisp to end the game.
Notes and Musings:
ALDS – Angels at Red Sox Game 1 Box Score
This is the 18th time the Red Sox have played in the post season in team history. They have 6 World Series titles. In the AL only the Yankees (45) and Athletics (23) have made more post season appearances.
The Red Sox record in ALDS play is 11-13 and they have split 6 previous series.
Game 3 starter Curt Schilling, has the best winning percentage with 10+ decisions (.800 8-2) and 3rd best ERA with 100+ IP (2.06) in baseball post season history.
Did you know that Jason Varitek has played more post season games (39) than any other player in team history? He also has the most HR’s with 9.
Josh Beckett is 51-26 in the last three seasons. The 51 wins are the most by any pitcher in the majors over that time period.
The last time Beckett pitched in the post season he shut out the Yankees, 2-0 in the deciding game of the 2003 World Series.
Beckett is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA in 3 career starts vs. the Halos. He is 2-2 with a 2.11 ERA with two complete game shut outs in the post season (4 starts).
Jerry Remy threw out the first pitch. The RemDawg is a former Angel and Red Sox second baseman.
On this date in 1979 the Angels played the franchises first ever playoff game losing on the road to the Orioles in Memorial Stadium, 6-3.
John Lackey finished second in the AL in wins with 19 and first in ERA at 3.01. He was the first Halo to win the ERA title since Frank Tanana in 1977.
In the post season Lackey is 3-1 with a 3.29 ERA in 8 games (6 starts).
The Angels like the Red Sox missed the post season in 2006.
This is the third post season series between the Angels and Red Sox. The Sox defeated the California Angels in the 1986 ALCS 4 games to 3. Then in 2004 Boston defeated the Anaheim Angels in the ALDS 3 games to none on their way to their first World Series championship in 86 years.
Now we get to see how they fair against the Los Angeles Angels. I think this maybe the first time in sports playoff history two teams have played each other with one team playing under its third different name without changing home stadiums.
The Angels are 3-7 in post season game one’s and are 0-4 in game one of ALDS play. Boston is 3-4 in game one of ALDS play.
The Red Sox are 7-1 against the Angels at Fenway in the post season. Overall the Red Sox are 173-114 at Fenway vs. the Halos.
The Angels have 11 players on the series roster with no playoff experience, while the Red Sox have 10.
