Boxscore Breakdown #58: Back in the saddle – Angels 8, Rays 2

Call off the funeral! The Angels live! The losing streak is over and the Angels didn’t even need to sacrifice their only child to R’hllor to make it happen. Suck on that, Stannis.

Angels 8, Rays 2

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/19l__1tCnmchQw9vFmwZAmk8qHEgij9kt57-sXv80Ee0/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Looks like Kole Calhoun is finally figuring out this whole clean-up hitter thing, either that or Nate Karns just isn’t that good. Albert Pujols certainly teed off on him. Really, Kirk Nieuwenhuis is the only guy that looked bad in this game. It is also possible that Kirk isn’t that good either.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/19l__1tCnmchQw9vFmwZAmk8qHEgij9kt57-sXv80Ee0/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Joey Butler was the only Ray doing much good. I guess you could say… the Butler did it. The only other development of note here is that apparently Bobby Wilson is still in the league. Good for him!

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/19l__1tCnmchQw9vFmwZAmk8qHEgij9kt57-sXv80Ee0/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Things got a bit shaky for Matt Shoemaker the third time through the order, but he dominated the first two times through. That sounds like a critique, but it isn’t. This was a pretty nice step forward for Shoe. Nate Karns, as previously mentioned, probably isn’t that good, at least not against the Angels.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/19l__1tCnmchQw9vFmwZAmk8qHEgij9kt57-sXv80Ee0/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] Fernando Salas stepped up to save the day back when this game was still close. I mean, he didn’t actually get a literal save, but he should’ve if the save stat wasn’t such a stupid stat. Big ups to Enny Romero for letting the Angels crack the game open and make the last two innings a nice smooth ride.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/19l__1tCnmchQw9vFmwZAmk8qHEgij9kt57-sXv80Ee0/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] Aside from a minor scare in the sixth and seventh innings, the Angels controlled this game from the jump.

Halo Hero

If only because Pujols was nice enough to not tie The Mick in New York and subject us to the media maelstrom it would have triggered.