Race Day: Looking at the A.L. Playoff Races

About the Wild Card Race

Boston: In the middle of September, RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka lowered his ERA from 8.23 to 7.02, made his first quality start of the season and received a standing ovation. In his first big-league outing since June 19, he returned from shoulder problems on Tuesday night to beat the Angels throwing 93 pitches. He allowed only three hits and three walks and put himself in position to be Boston’s No. 4 starter in the post-season. The Red Sox won despite missing 1B-3B Kevin Youkilis (bad back, return date unknown) and C-1B Victor Martinez (family issue in Cleveland, return date unknown).

On Wednesday night, RHP Paul Byrd (1-1, 6.08) will make his fourth start since coming out of retirement. He has had two good outings and one stinker, 13.1 innings with nine earned runs and 19 hits. In nine career starts against the Angels, he’s 4-2 with a 4.94 ERA. 2B Dustin Pedroia is hitting .385 during a seven-game hitting streak. DH David Ortiz has a six-game streak during which he has hit .529. His eighth-inning home run made him the all-time DH leader with 270.

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: The Angels lost in their first Fenway appearance of the season on another of those nights when the ball had to be ripped from the hands of RHP John Lackey (10-8). He worked into the eighth, 120 pitches, the loss giving him a Fenway record of 2-5. The game turned on consecutive bunts in the sixth inning by CF Jacoby Ellsbury and 2B Dustin Pedroia following a single by SS Alex Gonzalez. On Ellsbury’s bunt, 1B Kendry Morales couldn’t make the play and Ellsbury was awarded a hit. On Pedroia’s, Lackey fielded it but overthrew third base for an error allowing Gonzalez to score the game’s first run. Lackey on the two bunts (according to MLB.com): “Mine should have been an out; I screwed it up. He [Morales] fielded it clean. All he had to do is throw to first. Give him a hit? Be serious.”

The Angels’ offensive woes continued. In 14 September games, they have scored three runs or less 10 times, hitting .242. They’re averaging 3.14 runs this month after scoring 5.74 in August. On Tuesday night, they were 1-for-11 RISP. 

Wednesday night’s starter, LHP Joe Saunders (13-7, 4.81), has won his last four starts. Last time out, he held the White Sox to three hits and retired the final 15 batters. In three career starts at Fenway, he’s 3-0 with a 2.75 ERA. Angels manager Mike Scioscia has used righthanded hitting 2B Howie Kendrick against lefty starters since his recall from the minors in early July with great success (.371). Since the Angels won’t face another lefty until Sunday’s Arlington finale against Derek Holland, Kendrick will probably start sometime before then in place of Maicer Izturis.

If The Playoffs Started Today

Detroit @New York; Boston @Los Angeles