Angels Get Blitzed by Sox, Lose Game 2

After thoroughly dominating the Red Sox in game 2 (through 8.2 innings at least), the Angels ran into both Clay Bucholz and shaky pitching in game 2. On the one hand, the Angels split a doubleheader against a team that came into the day with the best record in the American League. On the other hand, losing to the Red Sox is unacceptable.

Fans were put on notice early that tonight was not going to be a particularly good night for C.J. Wilson. A first inning leadoff single to Shane Victorino was followed up by RBI double’s off the bat’s of Johnny Gomes and Dustin Pedroia. A 2-0 deficit against arguably the best pitcher in the American League right now. This couldn’t be good. In the next inning, C.J. made it harder still on the offense when he gave up an RBI double to David Ortiz. The Angels got one back in the third inning thanks to an RBI single by Mike Trout. But that was erased when, in the fifth inning, David Ross singled home Mike Napoli.

Bucholz, on the other hand, put it in cruise control and systematically set down Angels hitters until a Mark Trumbo sacrifice fly cut the Boston lead in half in the top of the sixth. But Boston put the game out of reach in the bottom half.

Jerome Williams came on in the sixth to relieve the ineffective C.J. Wilson, and didn’t do anything to help the team’s cause. With two outs in the inning, he gave up an RBI single to Pedroia on a 3-2 sinker. Then Big Papi followed that up with his 12th homerun of the season. Pushing the score to 7-2, and driving the last nail into the Angels coffin.

The Angels settled for a split. Which is better than getting swept. Which is at least, progress. Progress that they will try to carry into tomorrow’s game when Joe Blanton takes the mound opposite Ryan Dempster at 10:35 AM PST. Light up the fail-o. Barkeep, beer me.