This was a game that you didn’t want to see the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim lose and as a Boston Red Sox fan, you didn’t want to see them take the loss on Friday night. But you would understand if they did.
Jered Weaver went 6 2/3 inning, allowing 4 hits as the Angels picked up a 6-3 win over the Red Sox on a very emotional night at Angel Stadium. It’s the 9th straight regular season loss to the Angels for the Red Sox, dating back to last season.
Before the game, the Angels honored Nick Adenhart as well as Courtney Stewart and Henry Nigel Pearson who died tragically in a car accident early Thursday morning.
Tim Wakefield got the start for the Red Sox and a hit a few rough patches early on but settled down as the game went on. He went 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits and 5 hits while striking out 4. Justin Masterson had a tough night as he gave up 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk in an inning of work. Javier Lopez struck out 1 in the 8th.
Weaver only allowed 1 unearned run and struck out 8 Red Sox batters while just walking 2. Scot Shields closed it out for the Angels to pick up the save.
Kevin Youkilis continues to swing a hot stick for the Red Sox as he had 2 hits and an RBI. Jacoby Ellsbury added two hits and David Ortiz had the other RBI on a sacrifice fly.
Wake found himself in a little bit of trouble in the first but did his Dice-K impression and got out of it.
He got the first two outs of the inning before walking Bobby Abreu. With Vladimir Guerrero at the plate, Abreu stole second before working a walk. Wake then hit Torii Hunter to load the bases up but Kendry Morales popped out to George Kottaras to end the threat.
Gary Matthews Jr. led off the 2nd with a walk and went to second on a Jeff Mathis single. Wake got the first out when Macier Izturis grounded into a fielder’s choice with Matthews retired at third. Figgins followed that with a double scoring Mathis to make it 1-0 Halos. Howie Kendrick followed that with a 2-run single to push the lead to 3-0. With Abreu at the plate, Kendrick stole second and then went to third on an Abreu single. Wakefield escaped any further damage when he got Vlad to ground into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play.
After Weaver struck out Kottaras to start the 3rd, Ellsbury singled and then stole second, going to third on a throwing error by Mathis. Dustin Pedroia worked a walk and Big Papi knocked in Ellsbury with a sac fly to cut the lead to 3-1. With Youk at second, Pedroia stole second but was left stranded when Youk flew out to right.
Wakefield ran into trouble in the 5th when he loaded up the bases but was able to escape by getting the next 3 outs in Morales, Matthews and Mathis.
The Angels added some insurance runs in the 7th off of Masterson.
Abreu led off with a single and stole second with Vlad at the plate. Vlad ended up reaching on an infield single with Abreu going to third. Hunter knocked in Abreu with a sac fly to make it 4-1 Halos. Morales followed that with a double to deep center with Vlad stopping at third. After an intentional walk to Matthews, Mathis singled to left scoring Vlad and Morales to make it 6-1. Masterson got out of the inning when Izturis grounded into a fielder’s choice andFiggins flew out.
Kevin Jepson started the 8th for the Angels and got Kottaras to fly out. Ellsbury followed that with a single and went to third on a Pedroia double. Jepsen then struck out Big Papi but Youk reached on infield single that Figgins threw away allowing Ellsbury and Pedroia to score to cut the lead to 6-3. Shields came in and got Drew to fly out to end the threat.
These same two teams are back at it gain this afternoon at 4:10 on FOX. Brady Penny will make his Red Sox debut and will be opposed by Joe Saunders.
Notes and musings:
Boston Red Sox @ Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4.10.09 box score
Don Orsillo was without his sidekick Jerry Remy during the game as he was under the weather. He is expected back for Sunday’s game. NESN was also without Heidi Watney, who is Augusta at The Masters following her cousin Nick Watney play.
Wakefield entered his 15th major league season as a player for the Red Sox, passing Bobby Doerr (14) for 5th in club history, tops among pitchers. Only Carl Yastrzemski (23), Dwight Evans (19), Ted Williams (19) and Jim Rice (16) have played more seasons with the club.
Wake joins the Yankees’ Mariano Rivera as the only active major league pitchers to have worn the same uniform continuously since at least 1995. He is also one of 16 pitchers ever to spend at least 15 major league seasons with one American League club.
Tonight’s game against the Angels marked the debut of Boston’s new road alternate blue top along
with the “Hanging Sox” alternate cap. The new road gray uniforms will be worn for the first time on Saturday afternoon.
Jason Varitek belted his 2nd home run of the season yesterday. It was the 163rd of his Red Sox career, moving past Tony Conigliaro and Carlton Fisk and into sole possession of 13th place on the club’s all-time list. Jackie Jensen is next with 170.
