Angels Alter Red Sox

L. A. ANGELS: 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 - 4 8 0

BOSTON: 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 - 3 6 0

Yesterday - Top of seventh inning, two outs, Kendry Morales out swinging, safe at first on a passed ball - Angels score four runs, take lead - game ends with Red Sox win. Today - Top of seventh inning, two outs, Chone Figgins out swinging, safe at first on a "wild pitch" - Angels score one run, tie game - game ends with Angels win. Similar scenarios, different results. I disagree with the scoring of "wild pitch" today - should have also been a passed ball - there was nothing wild about the throw that Beckett made. That being written, why such miscues from Varitek two games in a row? It's fine that he's not an offensive powerhouse, but it is not okay for him not to be a defensive powerhouse. The Boston Red Sox have gone to great lengths to improve the defense at shortstop - perhaps it is time to evaluate the defense at catcher now and not wait until the end of the season to make some hard decisions. Just a suggestion. Despite today's loss to the Los Angeles Angels, the Red Sox have had an outstanding eight-game run in Fenway Park, winning seven of them. During this homestand, Boston became the leader of the AL Wild Card and gained two games on the New York Yankees. The Red Sox take to the road for the last time this regular season. Let's hope the road turns out to be just as uplifting as the homestand.

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L. A. ANGELS: Starting Pitcher: Ervin Santana, Winning Pitcher: Kevin Jepsen

BOSTON: Starting Pitcher: Josh Beckett, Losing Pitcher: Billy Wagner (1)

L. A. ANGELS: Save: Brian Fuentes

L. A. ANGELS: Homerun: Howie Kendrick

BOSTON: Homeruns: Jacoby Ellsbury (7), Jason Bay (33)

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RED SOX: Wins: 86, Losses: 59, AL East Standings: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Baltimore

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Next game: Friday 18 September 2009, 4:05 p.m. PT, Baltimore Orioles, Oriole Park, Clay Buchholz