Final Score in Anaheim: Yankees 6, Angels 5 - with the Texas Loss, the Angels Magic Number is now 5. The earliest the Angels can clinch the division is Friday night at home against Oakland, Rob Neyer's preseason choice to win the AL West.

Kendry Morales - the smart, affordable alternative to Mark Teixeira - went 4 for 4, Chone Figgins went 3 for 5 with a rare HR, and the Angels capitalized on some Yankee mistakes to elbow their way back into a 5-0 game. Tied late, though, the good guys fell short of taking the lead despite ample opportunities presented by an overmatched Yankees squad running on road trip fumes and looking nothing like a division winner.
A few unfortunate Bronx home runs tarnished an above average Ervin Santana start, but the Angels erased a 5-0 lead. Angels pitching struck out 9 Yankees total in the game. Just when all of the momentum had landed in their corner, though, the middle of the Halo lineup wilted. Torii Hunter went 0 for 5 (although he did make an amazing diving catch in CF to rub a little of tonight's tarnish away), but our Karisma Kid looks pretty gassed coming down the stretch. Hunter left 4 men on base tonight.
Each Angel RBI came off the bat of a different Angel: Figgy's solo HR, a Gary Matthews pinch-hit single, a Vladimir Guerrero single, a Bobby Abreu bases loaded Walk and a Maicer Izturis single to tie the game in the 8th inning. So much for leaving your Isolated Power in the locker room.
Roll Call: Dono Romantico, TheOptimist, deejayelleseven, vlad IS my man, Slyintine, norcaliangelsfan, ladybug, jtkelly86, shiftyeyedgoat, princeton11loveshalos, HALO N BRIMSTONE, cath619, highlandhalo, 44FAN, eyespy, mattwelch, Ed@northridge, scottnak, figgifig, chairmanofthebar, Rev Halofan, Funke5ive, clover_black, Brody, Quinlan's Goofy Swing, trojanangelfan, MH252525, angelsfan777, Match Day 5, robi s, ArchAngel16, reddawnman, TheTypingFiend, Teixeira Who?, Brian S (brianguy), Figgi4life, Quad Fin Rider, opiejeanne, K3YEROUT, EG Halo Fan, Suboptimal, JoseGuillenSux, Moondoggy, dr-awkward, UCIHalo, firebird81, Zu Long, Seraph, yeswecan, red floyd, Slasher52, Red, moosemastr, linkbruin, mikvitu, b0rd3rline, Phineas_Fogg, adirondackangelfan, halofan1, pslakerfan, HawaiiHaloFan35, blast21dave, Halos in DE, OntariGro, matthiasstephan, vladtheimpaler, rspencer, Zoe Necrosis, sothball, Andyman, sunshine thermometer, acuda27, SMUangelFan, btown100, hbhalofan, VladdyG, halofan4life, Chone's Chonies, Big Game Hunter, PieceOfAase, leftwing, The Limey, WiHaloFan, Ant Fan, V-Hawk Angelorum, teopeht, feNOMINAL, Downing Rules, gorams77, Hapyorange, Wytelitning, ALucky22, howiestheman, AlanFalcon, im4kiss, tanana40, Clip Show, billhune, joebernie, HALO_86, halofolife, bc56274, 3rd Echelon, wildwill, Beachbum Willy, Scotty G, gcash, Brew Angel
Total Users: 108
Total Posts: 1842
Total Threads: 4
0 recs | 46 comments
Vlad?
Figgi4life - September 22, 2009 via mobile
Hunter
was even less clutch
also Vlad had one RBI
princeton11loveshalos - September 22, 2009
Vlad has a lifetime Get Outta BOTG Free
…card at Halos Heaven.
Given that, I vote Mike Scioscia. Each time he guessed, he lost tonight. Left Palmer in too long. Bad result on the hit and run. And his godson Jeff Mathis screwed us grand royale on the interference call.
Turks Teeth - September 22, 2009 via mobile
So who calls torii out for not performing in the clutch?
clover_black - September 22, 2009
um
i just did…… oh who on the club? Quinlan of course.
Rev Halofan - September 22, 2009
hah, yeah, on the team.
clover_black - September 22, 2009
Torii.
“It was a very exciting game. I didn’t show up, but I had a lot of fun watching it.”
AlanFalcon - September 23, 2009
That was a great line.
Downing Rules - September 23, 2009
Torii is a quote machine.
red floyd - September 23, 2009
He should not have seen the struggles of his mates due to his failure as any sort of fun.
Stirrups - September 23, 2009
How about Vlad ?
Left 5 on base, Hunter “only” 4. Both choked miserably when it counted. Damnit.
infant - September 22, 2009
A-rod made a nise play to end the inning, that was not Vlad's fault.
KubanKowbell19 - September 23, 2009
Vlad even tried to beat it out.
Which is effort I appreciate.
AlanFalcon - September 23, 2009
That so almost a double down the line.
hauldog - September 23, 2009
Rev..."unfortunate HR's?"
they were BOMBS! Did u see where they landed?
K3YEROUT - September 22, 2009
yes
quite unfortunate
Rev Halofan - September 22, 2009
I like to give my vote for Juan and his shitty pitch selection...
in the 9th, but thats just me. Damn good game today though.
SenorChuckles - September 22, 2009
It was a hit-and-run...
Unfortunately, he should have let that one go by. But he was ordered to swing, I would think.
Downing Rules - September 22, 2009
yea he has to try and make contact there
because as everyone saw Willits was a dead duck. So the count would have been 3-2 against one of the best closers of all-time and that’s a bad ab?
MH252525 - September 22, 2009
I was talking about his whole at bat.
there were 2 pitches out of the zone that he swung at before his strikeout.
SenorChuckles - September 22, 2009
True.
Downing Rules - September 22, 2009
Is something wrong with Jepsen?
If that was a playoff game I sure as heck hope Jepsen would have come in to face A-Rod.
MH252525 - September 22, 2009
trust me
a playoff game and jepsen is there
princeton11loveshalos - September 22, 2009
i dont trust you.
clover_black - September 22, 2009
don't trust me either
but Jepsen would have been in had it been a playoff game.
Rev Halofan - September 22, 2009
well dont trust me then
but odds are jepsen would be there
princeton11loveshalos - September 22, 2009
That's why I give BOTG to Gamblin' Mike.
Third inning for Palmer? Averages say he’s likely to give up a run. Meanwhile, Jepsen didn’t pitch last night. Bring him in.
Mike managed like a ditz tonight. Enough of hagiography. Call the pope a pauper when he thinks on the cheap.
Turks Teeth - September 22, 2009 via mobile
Wrong
Jepsen and Bulge were both unavailable last night because of how much they had been used the prior week. I will post link later when not doing this mobile. But, as usual, Mike has more complete information than we do, and it never ceases to amaze me how quick people are to criticize his decisions when they have no idea what they are talking about.
Brody - September 23, 2009 via mobile
Link regarding Jepsen and Bulger:
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-angels-yankees23-2009sep23,0,4514020.story
Brody - September 23, 2009
Dominated
hauldog - September 23, 2009
But seriously Lodge is the BOTG right?
linkbruin - September 22, 2009
oh yeah
panther prize to anyone who calls his show tomorrow to rub it in.
Rev Halofan - September 22, 2009
so whats the backstory?
why does the lodge suck this time?
princeton11loveshalos - September 22, 2009
does he need a reason?
red floyd - September 22, 2009
well its usually not an issue here
i’m real curious as to why thats not the case today
princeton11loveshalos - September 22, 2009
He's an idiot. I've caught bits of his show a couple of times and always change the channel to a news and traffic station
because that’s more entertaining.
opiejeanne - September 22, 2009
that would require me actually having to listen to Roger Lodge
I’m out
linkbruin - September 22, 2009
If the booze I drank
to wash the loss away allows me to wake up, listen for me.
Teixeira Who? - September 23, 2009
Up
scottnak - September 22, 2009
I had to go with Santana.
Couldn’t he only give up 2 homeruns? Hunter is redeemed by that diving catch and that bullet of a throw to (almost) get the out at the plate.
Oh, and if we’re going to blame Rodger Lodge (which we must) then we also need to blame Marcus and Gooby for not shutting the hell up. Couldn’t they stop encouraging him?
Teixeira Who? - September 22, 2009
I thought Gubi was trying to get him to leave.
Lodge made some comment that the Angels were doing better when he wasn’t in the booth so he’d better leave, and Gubi agreed with him that it was time to leave.
Sometimes when you kid you tell the truth.
opiejeanne - September 22, 2009
Yeah
I suppose it was mostly Marcus. I should give him credit though. He did managed to speak about something other than his worship of the Yankee’s hitters and his veneration of Mariano Rivera.
Teixeira Who? - September 22, 2009
I just raided the fridge....
freezers next.
Funke5ive - September 22, 2009
LOSE
44FAN - September 22, 2009
ANGELS
THIS WASNT THE PLAY-OFFS-THE ANGELS WONT CATCH THE YANKEES FOR HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE-SCOSSIA DID THE RIGHT THING-SANTANA CANT GIVE UP THE HRs—-JEPSON AND BULGER WILL BE READY-DONT WANNA REPEAT OF LAST YEAR==WE WILL BEAT ALL OF THEM THIS YEAR AMD EVEN THE WORLD SIERIES!
spc7@verizon.net - September 26, 2009
+1
but no recommendation due to excessive CAPS usage.
Downing Rules - September 28, 2009
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