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Race Day: Looking at A.L. Playoff Races

About the AL West Race

Los Angeles: Angels manager Mike Scoiscia went with red-hot right-handed hitting 2B Howie Kendrick the last two games against right-handed Red Sox starters. In Thursday night’s series finale at Fenway, Kendrick homered off RHP Josh Beckett. In the ninth off LHP Billy Wagner, Kendrick singled in the winning run. He went 5-for-8 with three RBIs in the two games. In his last 13 games, mostly against lefties, Kendrick is 21-for-43 (.488).

Having taken a one-run lead in the top of the ninth, Scioscia stayed with set-up RHP Kevin Jepsen to open the ninth against right-handed hitting Jason Bay (struck him out), then turned to closer LHP Brian Fuentes to get his 42nd save in 49 chances.

The Angels are 3-9 this season against the Rangers, having lost all four previous series. On Wednesday, Rangers manager Ron Washington said the Angels will bring a different attitude, a killer instinct, this weekend. Not sure if that was part of the Angels’ aire in Boston. Before Thursday’s game, the umpiring crew acknowledged filing a complaint with MLB regarding the LAA staff’s behavior following Wednesday’s night emotional ninth-inning defeat.

The Angels will open the weekend series with LHP Scott Kazmir (8-8, 5.32). In three starts with the Angels, he has a 1.86 ERA in 19 innings, allowing 13 hits and six walks along with 14 strikeouts. Kazmir split two decisions against the Rangers this season while with Tampa Bay. In his only Ballpark appearance so far this season, he was pulled after 99 pitches through five innings though giving up only one run in a game the Rays trailed 2-1 and lost 3-1. Kazmir will be followed by RHPs Jered Weaver and John Lackey. DH Vladimir Guerrero – he of the .392 career Ballpark batting average and .707 Arlington slugging percentage – sat out Thursday night’s win with a bruised left rib cage after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday night.

The Rangers’ starter, rookie RHP Tommy Hunter (8-3, 3.23), comes off his first career complete game. That was the 7-2 opener of Sunday’s doubleheader against Seattle. The Rangers’ most recent victory. Way back when they were scoring runs. He has lost only one of his last eight starts. Hunter has never faced the Angels. After him, the Rangers will start RHP Scott Feldman and LHP Derek Holland (who shut out the Angels in August).

About the AL Wild Card Race

Boston: Having gone 7-1 on the homestand against Tampa Bay, Baltimore and LAA, the Red Sox will spend the next week and a half traveling to Baltimore, Kansas City and Yankee Stadium for their final trip of the season. C-1B Victor Martinez returned Thursday night from a two-game absence to extend his hitting streak to 16 games. CF Jacoby Ellsbury is hitting .400 in his last 10 games. 1B-3B Kevin Youkilis missed the entire Angels series with back spasma but told reporters he’s ready to play Friday.

The Red Sox are 15-3 against the Orioles this season, 28-5 since the beginning of the 2008 season. RHP Clay Buchholz (5-3, 3.66) no-hit the O’s when he was a rookie. In his last six starts, he’s 4-0 and got a no-decision last time out when he gave up one run in seven innings against the Rays. In 9.1 career innings pitched at Camden Yards, he has allowed 12 earned runs. Buchholz will be followed this weekend by LHP Jon Lester and RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka. Boston starters didn’t allow more than three runs in any of the last 10 games. That hasn’t happened since June 2006.

The Orioles managed only four hits and two walks on Thursday night in being shut out by Rays rookie RHP Wade Davis. On Friday night, Baltimore will start RHP Jeremy Guthrie (10-14, 5.06). He leads the league in homers (30) and earned runs (98). He has been roughed by the Red Sox this season in all three of his starts against them. In 18 innings this season against Boston, he has allowed 25 hits, 16 earned runs and six homers.

If The Playoffs Started Today

Detroit @New York; Boston @Los Angeles