Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

• Closed for season
• Reliable fireballer has hellish outing
• The old-time gloom settles over Fenway
• For Buchholz, tough one to watch
• For fans, parting is sweep sorrow
• There’s uncertainty for some

• The new Buckner is Bucknor
• A bit lacking in Game 1
• Tables turned, a start to forget
• Hunter’s aim was true
• Only thing missing was Lackey’s finishing touch

• Halo, goodbye: Sox walk off with it
• Red Sox roar into ALCS
• Squeezing out all the drama
• Lester rises to the challenge
• Looking for curve shaped Lowrie at-bat
• Angels’ momentum had short shelf life
• Angels went down when bunt didn’t

(Oh, and not that it even matters anymore, but just for the record: these guys started their vacation even earlier this year.)

P.S.: We’re all in agreement that Tito (who I rarely second guess; the guy’s record kinda speaks for itself) pretty much screwed the pooch by not trotting Lester back out in the 8th, right? I spent three innings listening to the announcers marvel at how he was getting stronger with each passing inning, and suddenly Justin Masterson is out there hucking balls over Varitek’s head and coughing up the lead.

If nothing else, Tito should have at least had Lester go out to the mound to start the 8th and then pulled him once the inning started so that Lester could get some love from the crowd on his way back to the dugout.

Thoughts?

• Heaven can wait: Angels survive by getting to Sox in 12
• 12-inning loss spoils the party
• Twelfth of never: Game a real drag
• Pedroia quick to take hit for his poor stats
• Wobbly Beckett grits it out
• It finally fell into place for Angels
• Game photos