Boxscore Breakdown #132: The other shoe didn’t drop – Angels 6, Athletics 2

A funny thing happened to the Angels in this game- nothing. Matt Shoemaker could’ve fallen victim to a big inning early, but he didn’t. He could’ve collapsed in the seventh, but he didn’t. The decision to call on two freshly called up relievers to work the eighth could’ve blown up in Scioscia’s face, but it didn’t. Huston Street‘s troublesome start to the ninth could’ve devolved into an epic meltdown, but it didn’t. I like September so much more than August already.

Angels 6, Athletics 2

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1O_Za9dgjThfgmalrIeD89extCpmPPxett3ZscF7d08I/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Kole Calhoun sparked the offense, but they got contributions from all over. Even Carlos Perez had a nice night after basically going 0-for-the last two weeks of August. The bigger development we saw though was Scioscia taking full advantage of his expanded roster and rolling out a defensive replacement line change late in the game. I’m sure it would’ve been an even bigger change if Giavotella had been starting at second and Efren Navarro had been called up.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1O_Za9dgjThfgmalrIeD89extCpmPPxett3ZscF7d08I/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Brett Lawrie touched up Shoemaker, but Billy Butler had the best night. Not a lot of A’s did much of anything, which is kind of a weird feeling given how the last four games have gone.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1O_Za9dgjThfgmalrIeD89extCpmPPxett3ZscF7d08I/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Shoemaker looked like he could’ve fallen apart early in the game, but he managed to hold it together. Once he settled down, the A’s couldn’t touch him. Cody Martin got hammered, as he should have.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1O_Za9dgjThfgmalrIeD89extCpmPPxett3ZscF7d08I/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Mike Morin made a triumphant one-pitch return and Wesley Wright made his Angels debut. He’s a guy who could actually earn himself a contract if he impresses in this final month. Ironically, it was Huston Street who had the rough outing, but not that rough.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1O_Za9dgjThfgmalrIeD89extCpmPPxett3ZscF7d08I/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] This is the exact inverse of what most of the Angels’ game flow charts have looked like in the last week.

Halo Hero

The other shoe didn’t drop on the Angels, but Shoemaker did drop the hammer on the A’s.