Don't Believe The Hype Of The Curse

I know some of you have already been talking about it, but I don't want to hear it. I know it helps you deal with the pain of yet another playoff loss, but I don't want to hear it. I know it's the only reason you can come up with to explain why this keeps happening, but I still don't want to hear it.

THERE IS NO BOSTON RED SOX CURSE ON THE ANGELS!

Just go ahead and get that nonsense out of your head right now. There is no curse. It does not exist. It never has and it never will.

A curse is not the reason the Angels lost this series. A curse is not the reason why Reggie Willits didn't catch that ball in Game 2. A curse is not the reason why the Angels had 20 hits in the first two games but only one of them went for extra bases. A curse is not the reason Erik Aybar missed the bunt on that suicide squeeze.

The Angels lost because they didn't play well enough. It's that simple.

We've seen it countless times across countless sports. The best team doesn't always win, and it's always for the same reason. They simply didn't play well enough to win.

Mike Scioscia and the rest of the team will be the first to tell you. They had their chances, but they didn't take advantage of them. You can get away with that sometimes during the regular season, especially in the AL West. But in order to advance in the playoffs, you have to make the most of each and every opportunity.

Now, the Angels will be faced with some serious decisions in the off-season. The futures of Garret Anderson, Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Teixeira, Jon Garland, and Frankie Rodriguez will all be determined by either Arte Moreno and Tony Reagins or, in some cases, the players themselves. This winter will go a long way in shaping the Angels chances of a return trip to the playoffs to pursue yet another World Series title.

But if you want to do your part to help the Angels this off-season. Do everyone a favor and get that damn curse out of your head. Holding on to such nonsense is not good for the soul or the team. Just ask the Cubs!

Angels/Red Sox Notes--Game 4

Los Angeles Angels at Boston

* The Angels’ victory on Sunday snapped an 11-game playoff losing streak to the Red Sox, dating to Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. It also broke a nine-game postseason winning streak for Boston that dated to Game 5 of last year’s ALDS versus Cleveland.

* Teams trailing two games to one are 16-18 in Game 4 of Divisional Series all-time, and have a 9-25 series record.

* The Red Sox’ loss on Sunday was their first in a potential series-winning game since losing to the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS. Boston had won six in a row when playing a potential series-winning game.

* John Lackey has lost his last three playoff starts, permitting a .304 batting average while compiling a 5.60 ERA. The Angels have lost Lackey’s last four postseason starts, after winning three of his first four. Including the playoffs, Lackey is 3-8 in his career versus Boston.

* Jon Lester allowed no earned runs over 7.0 innings while winning Game 1 last Wednesday. Including that victory, Lester is 11-0 with a 1.91 at Fenway Park since April 29. The Red Sox have won all 14 of his starts over that span.

* After batting just .183 (11-for-60) in his first 16 career playoff games, Vladimir Guerrero is hitting .583 (7-for-12) in this series. His average is .438 since the beginning of September.

* Mark Teixeira and Torii Hunter have joined Fred Lynn (1982) as the only players to collect at least two hits in each of their first three postseason games with the Angels.

* Over his last five postseason games (since Game 3 of the 2007 World Series), Jacoby Ellsbury has hit .522 (12-for-23) with seven doubles and seven RBI.

Angels/Red Sox Game Notes--Game 3

DIVISION SERIES OVERVIEW: For the third time in five seasons, the Angels and Boston Red Sox meet in the
Division Series…2008 marks the fourth time in eight total playoff appearances the Angels have squared off vs. Boston (1986, 2004, 2007 & 2008)…With 4-1 loss in Game 1 & 7-5 setback in Game 2, the Angels have dropped their last nine overall playoff games (2004-08), including six in a row at home…Last win came in Game 1 of 2005 ALCS at Chicago (3-2 score)…Last win at home came in Game 5 of 2005 ALDS vs. New York (5-3 score)…Angels have dropped last 11 post-season contests vs. Boston (1986-2008), the longest losing
streak vs. one club in post-season history (previously 10; Red Sox vs. Athletics, 1988-2003)…Last win vs. Boston came in Game 4 of 1986 ALCS at Anaheim Stadium (4-3 score)…Dating back to 1986, Angels had led in only seven of last 94 innings played between clubs…Angels have dropped five straight ALDS games (all vs. Boston) and are 6-11 overall in ALDS history.

GAME 3 OUTLOOK: Angels are 6-4 (1-2 vs. Boston) in Game 3 all-time in post-season (2-2 in ALDS; 0-2 vs. Boston)…Since Division Series play began in 1995, 35 teams have taken a 2-0 advantage in the series…Five teams have come back to win the series, the last being Boston vs. Oakland in 2003…The lone team to do so when losing the first two games at home was New York vs. Oakland in 2001…Angels are 6-17 on road in post-season history, 2-5 in ALDS and 1-6 at Boston (0-3 in ALDS)…First pitch is at 7:27 p.m. and tonight’s game will be televised nationally on TBS (Chip Carey, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager)…All Division Series games can be heard on KLAA AM 830 and the Angels radio network and in Spanish on KWKW ESPN Deportes (1330 AM)…The games will also be broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio.

DIVISION SERIES GAME 2 RECAP: Angels fell to 2-3 all-time in Game 2 of ALDS (5-6 in Game 2 club history) with 7-5 loss to the Red Sox…Five runs scored snapped string of nine straight post-season games with 3 runs-or-less (16 total; 1.8 per game)…Angels did not have leadoff batter reach safely in an inning in Game 1, but did so four times in Game 2 (scoring one run in each inning)…Angels have gone 66 innings without hitting a post-season home run… Club has gone 87 post-season innings without a lead of more than one run…Torii Hunter was 2-for-5 with two RBI and is 4-for-8 (.500, all singles) in series…He is batting .357 (25/70) in the DS in career (18 games)…Hunter owns 11 career post-season RBI, all coming in ALDS…Mark Teixeira finished 3-for-3 (1 BB) with three runs scored and an RBI…He is batting .714 (5/7; all
singles) with an RBI in series…Vladimir Guerrero was 3-for 4 (1 BB) and is 5-for-8 in series (.625; all singles)…Chone Figgins leadoff triple in eighth inning is Angels lone extra-base hits of series (21 hits total)…Francisco Rodriguez (1.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR) took the loss, his fourth in post-season career (most in Angels history)…Angels 3-4-5 hitters are a combined 14-for-23 (.609) through first two games of series while 6-9 batters are a collective 2-for-31 (.065)…Batters 1-2 are 4-for-19 in series (.211)…Angels were 3-for-14 with RISP in Game 2, are 4-for-21 (.190) in series and have left 20 runners on base thus far.

DIVISION SERIES GAME 1 RECAP: The Angels fell to 0-5 all-time in Game 1 of the ALDS with 4-1 loss to the Red Sox…John Lackey (0-1; 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 HB, 92 pitches/60 strikes) took the loss in his longest post-season outing since Game 4 of 2002 ALCS (7 IP)…Lackey is winless in his last five post-season starts (last win came in Game 7 of 2002 World Series)…Angels’ 2-5 hitters were 8-for-15 (.533) but team went 1-for-7 with RISP…Torii Hunter’s RBI single in the 3rd inning put the Angels up 1-0…Mark Teixeira logged two hits in his first career playoff game…Halos are 3-8 overall in Game 1 of a post-season series.

2008 vs. BOSTON: Angels outscored Red Sox 42-17 over last six regular season games played… Angels won last eight games vs. Red Sox, matching longest win streak vs. Boston in club history (8/26/61 - 5/30/62)…Angels swept Red Sox in last meeting July 28-30 at Fenway Park…Marked first time in club history Angels swept a series at home and road vs. Red Sox in same season…Angels won 2008 series 8-1, first season-series win over Red Sox since 2001.

DID YOU KNOW? The 2008 Angels are the first team since the 1931 Cardinals to win 100 games in a season without a 100-RBI player, a 30-HR hitter, or a 20-game winner…Halos are the first AL team to do it since the 1915 Red Sox…Both the 1931 Cardinals and 1915 Red Sox went on to win the World Series.

COMING IN HOT: Several Angels entered the playoffs on hot streaks: Mike Napoli led the Angels batting .453 (24/53) in September with six home runs and 16 RBI…He had 18 hits his last 27 at bats (.667)…Garret Anderson hit .356 (21/87) in September…Vlad Guerrero hit .387 (36/93) his last 23 games to raise average from .285 to .303…Scot Shields has fashioned a 2.11 ERA (21.1 IP – 5 ER) over his last 24 outings…Game 3 starter Joe Saunders is 3-0 with a 1.65
ERA (27.1 IP – 5 ER) over his last four starts.

ANGELS IN POST-SEASON: Angels are 21-29 overall in post-season history…Club was 11-5 in 2002 World Championship season and are 4-14 since…Angels captured AL West Division title Sept. 10 with club record 100-62 record…Angels finished 21 games ahead of second place Texas…Marked fourth division title in five seasons (2004, 2005 & 2007), seventh overall (1979, 1982 & 1986) and eighth trip to post-season in club history (2002 AL Wild Card)...Seven AL West titles ranks second in division all-time (Oakland-14)…Club record 100 wins (100-62) are most in a division title season (was 95-2005)…Club record for wins was 99 in 2002…Each season Angels have won 92 games-or-more they have made post-season (1982-93, 1986-92, 2002-99, 2004-92, 2005-95 & 2007-94)…Prior to winning World Series in 2002 with series
victories over New York (3-1 in ALDS), Minnesota (4-1 in ALCS) and San Francisco (4-3 in WS), franchise had not won post-season series in its first three trips…The club lost in ALCS to Baltimore (3-1 in ‘79), Milwaukee (3-2 in ‘82) and Boston (4-3 in ‘86)…The Angels also
lost in the ALDS to Boston in 2004 (3-0), defeated New York in the ALDS (3-2) and lost in the ALCS to Chicago (4-1) in 2005 and lost in the ALDS to Boston in 2007 (3-0)…The Angels are 4-6 in series play in club’s post-season history…The club has lost seven straight post-season games (1-4 vs. CWS in 2005 ALCS & 0-3 vs. Bos. in 2007 ALDS), four straight home games in playoffs and nine straight post-season games vs. Boston (final three games of 1986 ALCS & three game sweeps in 2004 & 2007 ALDS)…On Angels’ 2008 Division Series roster, 6 of 25 players have yet to appear in post-season in their careers, including Jose Arredondo, Kevin Jepsen, Gary Matthews, Jr. Joe Saunders, Mark Teixeira and Brandon Wood…The entire Angels coaching staff has participated in post-season as a staff (2007) with Manager Mike Scioscia, Bench Coach Ron Roenicke, Hitting Coach Mickey Hatcher, First Base Coach Alfredo Griffin and Bullpen Coach Orlando Mercado also participating as a staff in 2002, 2004 & 2005…As a player, Scioscia participated for Los Angeles in four NLCS (1981, 1983, 1985 & 1988) and was member of Dodgers’ 1981 and 1988 World Championship teams…Griffin played for Los Angeles in NLCS (1988) and Toronto in ALCS (1992 & 1993), winning World titles with all three teams…Hatcher played for Los Angeles in NLCS and World Series for 1988 World Champions…Roenicke played for San Diego in 1984 NLCS and World Series.

More Angels/Red Sox Game 2 Notes & Lineup

Boston Red Sox at Los Angeles Angels – Game 2

* The Red Sox have won 10 consecutive postseason games versus the Angels, dating back to Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS.

* Boston has won four consecutive road playoff games, dating back to last season (Game 5 of ALCS at Cleveland, Games 3 & 4 of 2007 World Series at Colorado). The Red Sox have won five consecutive postseason series when winning Game 1 (2004 ALDS at Ana, 2004 WS vs. StL, 2007 ALDS vs. LAA, 2007 ALCS vs. Cle, and 2007 WS vs. Col).

* In his last 35 postseason games (all with Boston), David Ortiz has hit .379 with 10 HR, 35 RBI and 33 R. Ortiz has at least one hit in 31 of his last 35 postseason games.

* Daisuke Matsuzaka went 2-1 with a 5.03 ERA in four postseason starts in 2007. Matsuzaka has 35 wins (including postseason) in his first two big league seasons, but none against the Angels (just two starts). The Angels are the only AL team (other than Boston) that Matsuzaka has not defeated.

* The Angels have lost eight consecutive postseason games overall, including five in a row at home. The Angels are now 0-5 in Game 1’s of the ALDS (2 losses vs. NYY, 3 losses vs. Bos). They have advanced both times they lost Game 1 to the Yankees, but have not advanced either of the two previous times they lost Game 1 to Boston. It should be noted that the 2002 World Champion Angels lost Game 1 in the ALDS (at NYY), ALCS (at Min), and WS (vs. SF).

* During their current eight-game postseason losing streak, the Angels are hitting just .116 (5-for-43) with runners in scoring position with zero home runs.

* Vladimir Guerrero has a .203 (13-for-64) career batting average in the postseason with just one home run and seven RBI in 17 games. He is just 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position in his postseason career.

* Ervin Santana’s 214 strikeouts in 2008 were the most by an Angels’ right hander since Nolan Ryan in 1979 (223 strikeouts). Santana defeated Boston in his first career start against them (August 20, 2005 – 7.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K), but has struggled in his last three starts against the Red Sox (0-2, 7.53 ERA).

Starting Lineups

Angels

Chone Figgins, 3B
Garret Anderson, LF
Mark Teixeira, 1B
Vlad Guerrero, DH
Torii Hunter, CF
Juan Rivera, RF
Howie Kendrick, 2B
Jeff Mathis, C
Erick Aybar, SS


Red Sox

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Kevin Youkilis, 3B
JD Drew, RF
Jason Bay, LF
Mark Kotsay, 1B
Jason Varitek, C
Alex Cora, SS

Angels/Red Sox Game Notes--Game 2

DIVISION SERIES OVERVIEW: For the third time in five seasons, the Angels and Boston Red Sox meet in the
Division Series…2008 marks the fourth time in eight total playoff appearances the Angels have squared off vs. Boston (1986, 2004, 2007 & 2008)…With last night’s 4-1 setback in Game 1, the Angels have dropped their last eight overall playoff games (2004-08), including five in a row at home…Angels have dropped their last 10 post-season contests vs. Boston (1986-2008)…Halos are 3-8 overall in Game 1 of a post-season series.

GAME 2 OUTLOOK: Angels are 5-5 in Game 2 all-time in post-season (2-2 in ALDS)…Historically teams that go up 1-0 in the ALDS are 12-14 all-time in winning the division series…By contrast, teams that go up 1-0 in the NLDS are 23-3 in series play…Tomorrow night’s first pitch is at 6:37 p.m. and will be televised nationally on TBS (Chip Carey, Buck Martinez and Craig Sager)…All Division Series games can be heard on KLAA AM 830 and the Angels radio network with Rory Markas and Terry Smith calling the action…The games will also be broadcast nationally on ESPN Radio.

DIVISION SERIES GAME 1 RECAP: The Angels fell to 0-5 all-time in Game 1 of the ALDS in the 4-1 loss to the Red Sox…John Lackey (0-1; 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 HB, 92 pitches/60 strikes) took the loss in his longest post-season outing since Game 4 of 2002 ALCS (7 IP)…Lackey is winless in his last five post-season starts (last win came in Game 7 of 2002 World Series)…Angels have been limited to 16 runs in their last nine playoff games (1.8 runs per game)…Angels’ 2-5 hitters were 8-for-15 (.533) but team went 1-for-7 with RISP…Torii Hunter’s RBI single in the 3rd inning put the Angels up 1-0…Marked Hunter’s 9th areer post-season RBI, all coming in division series play…He is now batting .354 (23/65) in the DS in his career (17 games)…Mark Teixeira logged two hits in his first career playoff game…Angels have gone 57 innings without hitting home run.

2008 vs. BOSTON: Angels have outscored Red Sox 42-17 over last six regular season games
played…Angels have won last eight games vs. Red Sox, matching longest win streak vs. Boston in club history (8/26/61 - 5/30/62)…Angels swept Red Sox in last meeting July 28-30 at Fenway Park…Marked first time in club history Angels swept a series at home and road vs. Red Sox in same season…Angels won 2008 series 8-1, first season-series win over Red Sox since 2001.

DID YOU KNOW? The 2008 Angels are the first team since the 1931 Cardinals to win 100 games in a season without a 100-RBI player, a 30-HR hitter, or a 20-game winner…Halos are the first AL team to do it since the 1915 Red Sox…Both the 1931 Cardinals and 1915 Red Sox went on to win the World Series.

COMING IN HOT: Several Angels entered the playoffs on hot streaks: Mike Napoli led the Angels batting .453 (24/53) in September with six home runs and 16 RBI…He had 18 hits his last 27 at bats (.667)…Garret Anderson hit .356 (21/87) in September…Vlad Guerrero hit .387 (36/93) his last 23 games to raise average from .285 to .303…Scot Shields has fashioned a 2.11 ERA (21.1 IP – 5 ER) over his last 24 outings…Game 3 starter Joe Saunders is 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA (27.1 IP – 5 ER) over his last four starts.

ANGELS 2008 SEASON: Angels completed 2008 season with 100-62 record and first place finish in AL West, 21 games ahead of second place Texas…Club’s win total is a franchise record, previously set in 2002 (99)…Angels became first MLB team since the 2005 St. Louis Cardinals (100 wins) to reach 100 wins and the first AL team to reach the mark since the 2004 New York Yankees (101 wins)…Colorado is the lone club with neither 100 wins or losses in a season…Halos registered best record in baseball for first time in club’s 48-year history…Halos also clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs…Angels’ club-record 21-game lead in AL West marks largest since 1999 Cleveland Indians (21.5 games ahead of White Sox)…On Sept. 10, the Angels clinched their fourth division crown in the last five seasons and seventh overall…2008 marks the club’s eighth all-time post-season berth (wild card entrant in 2002)…The Sept. 10 clinch date (Game #145) is the earliest the Angels clinched a division by date (previously Sept. 23, 2007) and by game (previously Game #153 in 1986) and the earliest any AL West team ever clinched the division…Angels were only team in AL with a winning record at home (50-31) and on the road (50-31)...Club’s road mark is best in franchise history…Halos were first team in Majors to reach 60 wins, 70 wins, 90 wins and the only club to win 100 contests in 2008...Halos finished 33-12-7 after 52 total series played…Angels were 53-27 vs. opponents above .500 (47-35 vs. teams under .500)…Angels registered winning record for the fifth straight season (94-68 in ‘07, 89-73 in ‘06, 95-67 in ’05 & 92-70 in ’04)…Marks first time Angels have ever had five consecutive winning seasons…Angels were in first place 138 consecutive days (since May 13) and 172 of 181 days this season…Since 2007, Angels have spent 343 of possible 361 days atop AL West…Halos finished 30-16 vs. AL East, 24-17 vs. AL Central, 36-21 vs. AL West...Club was 57-38 at All-Star break, matching the Red Sox and Cubs for most wins in Majors…Marked second time in club history Angels had most wins in Majors at the break (57 in 2007 with Boston)…Angels posted season-best seven-game win streak, May 31-June 7, while longest losing skid was also four contests, May 7-11…43 of 100 wins were in comeback fashion and 21 wins on season came in last at-bat…Angels were club record tying 39 games over .500, Sept. 25 (99-60)…Finished 31-21 in one-run games (club record 19-12 on road) and 30-7 in two-run contests (17-2 at home)…The club was 33-16 vs. left-handed starters and 67-46 vs. right-handed starters…Angels were 64-15 when they scored first (most wins in Majors)…Angels were 61-28 in games decided by two runs-or-less (most such wins in MLB)…Club posted nine walk-off wins…Angels have won 194 games since the beginning of last season and 81 of those (42%) have come by one run, the most such wins in the Majors during span…Angels largest lead was club-record 22
games (Sept. 22, 97-59 & Sept. 25, 99-60).

ANGELS IN POST-SEASON: Angels captured AL West Division title Sept. 10 with club record 100-62 record…Angels finished 21 games ahead of second place Texas…Marked fourth division title in five seasons (2004, 2005 & 2007), seventh overall (1979, 1982 & 1986) and eighth trip to post-season in club history (2002 AL Wild Card)...Seven AL West titles ranks second in division all-time (Oakland-14)…Club record 100 wins (100-62) are most in a division title season (was 95-2005)…Club record for wins was 99 in 2002…Each season Angels have won 92 games-or-more they have made post-season (1982-93, 1986-92, 2002-99, 2004-92, 2005-95 & 2007-
94)…Prior to winning World Series in 2002 with series victories over New York (3-1 in ALDS), Minnesota (4-1 in ALCS) and San Francisco (4-3 in WS), franchise had not won post-season series in its first three trips…The club lost in ALCS to Baltimore (3-1 in ‘79), Milwaukee (3-2 in ‘82) and Boston (4-3 in ‘86)…The Angels also lost in the ALDS to Boston in 2004 (3-0), defeated New York in the ALDS (3-2) and lost in the ALCS to Chicago (4-1) in 2005 and lost in the ALDS to Boston in 2007 (3-0)…The Angels are 4-6 in series play in club’s post-season history…The club has lost seven straight post-season games (1-4 vs. CWS in 2005 ALCS & 0-3 vs. Bos. in 2007 ALDS), four straight home games in playoffs and nine straight post-season games vs. Boston (final three games of 1986 ALCS & three-game sweeps in 2004 & 2007 ALDS)…On Angels’ 2008 Division Series roster, 6 of 25 players have yet to appear in post-season in their careers, including Jose Arredondo, Kevin Jepsen, Gary Matthews, Jr. Joe Saunders, Mark Teixeira and Brandon Wood…The entire Angels coaching staff has participated in post-season as a staff (2007) with Manager Mike Scioscia, Bench Coach Ron Roenicke, Hitting Coach Mickey Hatcher, First Base Coach Alfredo Griffin and Bullpen Coach Orlando Mercado also participating as a staff in 2002, 2004 & 2005…As a player, Scioscia participated for Los Angeles in four NLCS (1981, 1983, 1985 & 1988) and was member of Dodgers’ 1981 and 1988 World Championship teams…Griffin played for Los Angeles in NLCS (1988) and Toronto in ALCS (1992 & 1993), winning World titles with all three teams…Hatcher played for Los Angeles in NLCS and World Series for 1988 World Champions…Roenicke played for San Diego in 1984 NLCS and World Series.

Angels Post-Game Notes: Game 1 ALDS

I know some Angel fans are bit upset about what happened last night and even worried that this "can't beat boston" thing is real.

However, as mad as you might be at Vlad's baserunning blunder, remember that the Angels had 9 hits last night and none of them were for extra bases. It's really hard to win a playoff game without a home run or at least a double.

And don't forget that the Angels beat Boston 8-1 during the regular season, including decisive wins at Fenway Park. So, believe me when I say, one lost game does not make a series.

Here's the team's post-game notes from Wednesday night.

STARTING PITCHERS Notes:
John Lackey: (LOSS; 6.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 BB, 5 SO, 1 HB; 92 pitches/60 strikes)…Longest post-season outing since Game 4 of 2002 ALCS (7 IP)…Winless in last five post-season starts (last win came in Game 7 of 2002 World Series)…Four home runs allowed in his last three playoff outings.

Jon Lester: (WIN; 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO; 117 pitches/76 strikes)…Started second straight playoff game for Red Sox (also Game 4 of 2007 World Series)…Has not allowed an earned run in last 15.2 playoff innings…Is now 3-0 with an 1.10 ERA (16.1 IP – 2 ER) in post-season career.

Angels Notes: Have dropped last eight overall playoff games and last 10 post-season games vs. Boston…Losses in each of last five home playoff games…Angels have been limited to 15 runs in their last nine playoff games (1.7 runs per game)…Are now 0-5 in Game 1 of ALDS all-time…Angels 2-5 hitters were 8-for-15 (.533).

Torii Hunter’s RBI single in the 3rd inning put the Angels up 1-0…Marked Hunter’s 9th career post-season RBI, all coming in division series play…He is now batting .354 (23/65) in the DS in his career (17 games).

Mark Teixeira logged two hits in his first career playoff game.

Red Sox Notes: Have won Game 1 in each of last four playoff series…Riding an eight-game win streak in playoffs to match club record (won last eight games of 2004 post-season)…Have won last 10 playoff games vs. Angels, the longest current playoff win streak vs. one team…Have outscored Angels 23-5 in last four playoff games…Manager Terry Francona is now 23-9 in his playoff career (.719 winning pct. is best all-time for a manager with 20-or-more playoff games managed).

Jacoby Ellsbury tallied three hits tonight and is batting .476 (10/21) over his last five post-season games (tonight and four games of 2007 World Series)…Also stole two bases…RBI single in 9th put Sox up 3-1…Including regular season, he has hit safely in his last 19 games.

Jason Bay’s 2-run shot in the 6th frame put the Red Sox up 2-1…Was his first career post-season hit in his first playoff game…1st Red Sox player to connect for a HR on his first career playoff game since Todd Walker hit two long balls in Game 1 of 2003 ALDS vs. Oakland…7th overall player in Sox history to homer in first career playoff contest…Becomes the 7th native of Canada to homer in a playoff game (Russell Martin was the 6th Canadian native to homer in post-season earlier tonight).

David Ortiz’s RBI single in the 9th was the 39th post-season RBI of his career (most in Red Sox history).

Jonathan Papelbon worked a scoreless 9th to earn his fifth career playoff save (five chances)…Has not allowed a run in his last 15.2 IP in post-season play.