Boxscore Breakdown #133: Gray turned blue – Angels 9, Athletics 4

Just when we’re all getting ready to write the Angels off, they have to go and beat the tar out of Sonny Gray, win a road series and provide a glimmer of hope that they could claw their way back into the Wild Card race. It was all because for the first time in forever they defeated an actual elite pitcher instead of just rolling over and nearly getting no-hit, like they do.

Angels 9, Athletics 4

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1zs9a5TZmvsAjbnFibfhrQGisYU6ZdqDDGoPSbPLdBbA/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Another game where the top half of the order hits well and the Angels score a bunch of runs. Funny how that works. It wasn’t a powerful day for the offense aside from the Pujols homer and two other doubles, but seeing the Halos hammer Sonny Gray was refreshing. And by “refreshing” I mean a complete and total shock and I’m still not sure that it actually happened.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1zs9a5TZmvsAjbnFibfhrQGisYU6ZdqDDGoPSbPLdBbA/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] I really don’t like Brett Lawrie. I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that before, but I can’t help but recall that sentiment whenever he does well against the Angels, something that happens far too often. Billy Burns and Josh Reddick both had rough days, but Reddick screamed a lot more curse words than Burns did.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1zs9a5TZmvsAjbnFibfhrQGisYU6ZdqDDGoPSbPLdBbA/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Andrew Heaney looked like he was going to blow the entire game after being staked to a big early lead, just like so many other guys in the rotation. Turns out the rookie is the only guy who was able to knuckle down, get his act together escape the inning and dominate from there on out. Even Sonny Gray couldn’t do that, at least in this game.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1zs9a5TZmvsAjbnFibfhrQGisYU6ZdqDDGoPSbPLdBbA/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Joe Smith gave up another homer, which is concerning. Of more concern is that we are now in that brutal part of September where a team uses six relievers to get through the last four innings of a game.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1zs9a5TZmvsAjbnFibfhrQGisYU6ZdqDDGoPSbPLdBbA/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] That one big trough looked like it was going to just continue to plummet to the bottom, but the Angels miraculously rebounded. I like September a whole lot better than August.

Halo Hero

Gosh, it sure would be swell if this was the start of Albert getting hot again.