Boxscore Breakdown #62: That’s so Angels-A’s – Angels 1, Athletics 0

The Angels and the A’s play one-run ballgames. That’s just what they do. That’s all the broadcasters for either side even talk about during the games. For the entirety of this century, that is how the Halos and A’s even out. Nothing could be more Angels-A’s than a literal one-run ballgame, as in only one run was scored. That’s Halos-Athletics taken to the very extreme of the definition of their rivalry. Shockingly though, this was the first time since 2009 that the two sides have played to a 1-0 result.

Angels 1, Athletics 0

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1PxkJpcEjItD29weX_KsFrRRHsZGcCbD9P4F6iPlAT_M/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] Albert Pujols obviously was on the plus-side of the ledger, but it was nice to see David Freese there too. Seeing his potential replacement get called up looks like it might be providing him with some motivation. It also seems to be motivating Scioscia to try to get Freese to blow out his hammy again. How else do you explain that ridiculous hit-and-run decision?

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1PxkJpcEjItD29weX_KsFrRRHsZGcCbD9P4F6iPlAT_M/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Stephen Vogt might get recalled (that’s election humor, folks) with the day he had. Brett Lawrie and Billy Butler were both positive RE24 guys despite neither actually getting a hit, which is really weird. The two guys that did get hits, Semien and Burns, were negative. I guess a walk isn’t just as good as a hit, it is better, at least in this game.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1PxkJpcEjItD29weX_KsFrRRHsZGcCbD9P4F6iPlAT_M/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] C.J. Wilson was terrific, but he had two innings that looked like they were going to go very, very wrong for him. Mercifully, the A’s bailed him out each of those times. Kendall Graveman also escaped a few jams of his own to turn in the best start of his young career.

Bullpen Battle

The A’s didn’t use a reliever, so no graph necessary. Joe Smith and Huston Street locked it down for the Halos and remain the only two guys in the bullpen that are even remotely trustworthy.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1PxkJpcEjItD29weX_KsFrRRHsZGcCbD9P4F6iPlAT_M/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] This game with the drama? Yeah, not so much. That tends to be the case in 1-0 games.

Halo Hero

C.J. was great, but in a 1-0 ballgame, the guy who was solely responsible for the only run deserves the credit.