Boxscore Breakdown #90: Bullet time – Angels 3, Red Sox 0

Every time Garrett Richards has a rough outing and fans start getting a little concerned, he goes and has a start like this. I like to call it Bullet Time. I’ve never called it that before, but I will starting one sentence ago. Bullet Time! Richards has had his ups and downs this year leading some to say the Angels lack a real playoff ace. Don’t let that inconsistency fool you though, there is still ace ability in Richards. He just needs to tap into it at the right time for the Angels to make some waves in the postseason (assuming they get there, don’t want to jinx it). He can miss bats, generate poor contact and pound the strike zone with the best of them when he’s going good and he was going VERY good against Boston on Saturday night.

Angels 3, Red Sox 0

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1fFTtlF7FBrIT_llVtD5vgEzTZw43Q3eFg_beft_RgbE/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] The Angels offense didn’t show up in the opener for this series and it still really hasn’t, but the bats are starting to trickle in. Kole Calhoun, in particular, showed up in a big way with his first multi-homer game in the majors. It is only fitting that the redhead was the one to pound the Red Sox. Mike Trout actually had an awful day as he struck out twice and hit into a double play. We can let it slide after the walk off homer the night before though.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1fFTtlF7FBrIT_llVtD5vgEzTZw43Q3eFg_beft_RgbE/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] Pablo Sandoval accounted for both Boston hits, but Panda also had an error that led to a run, so he really canceled himself out. Richards took care of the rest.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1fFTtlF7FBrIT_llVtD5vgEzTZw43Q3eFg_beft_RgbE/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] The good news for the Red Sox is that the Angels didn’t pound Rick Porcello into oblivion like they usually do, he still wasn’t all that good though. Meanwhile Garrett had the best start of his career, according to Game Score.

Bullpen Battle
No bullpen necessary for the Angels, though Huston Street did warm up, which is a good sign. Justin Masterson looked pretty good for his three innings of long relief, which I’m sure made his mother very proud.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1fFTtlF7FBrIT_llVtD5vgEzTZw43Q3eFg_beft_RgbE/pubchart” query=”oid=451609002&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”316″ /] Not much action here, though Boston did make some noise after Sandoval’s lead-off double in the fifth. Richards hit the mute button pretty dang fast though.

Halo Hero

With all apologies to Calhoun, Richards was the star of this one.