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Joe Saunders and Hideki Matsui End Dallas Braden's Perfection

Final Score in Anaheim: Angels 4, Athletics 0 ... After pitching a perfect game on Sunday Athletics lefty Dallas Braden arrived in Anaheim poised to be a stake through the heart of the Angels' season. But Joe Saunders had other plans, pitching a complete game shutout like a cold blooded killer.

Braden's bid for perfection did not last three batters as Bobby Abreu doubled in thebottom of the first inning with two outs, but the bottom of the 6th was where the action was. After Kendry Morales had driven in Erick Aybar for Braden's first run in almost 20 innings, Hideki Matsui hit a 3-Run homerun to Right Field to seal the fate for the former Mister Perfecto. The stellar pitching and the return of Godzilla's power stroke brought the Angels' season one step closer toward a turnaround.

Both lefties were dealing - the time of the game was just over 2 hours.

Pregame_medium 

Poll
Panther of the Game
Joe Saunders
387 votes
Hideki Matsui
69 votes

456 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs  |  26 comments

Comments

This one's a tough one

I’d choose Saunders for making it past the 3rd inning to get his superb CG. However, after a hiatus, Godzilla manages to get the stroke right.

But I chose Saunders because even tho we wouldve won without the homer, he managed to stay in sync.

He pitched the CG I had to give it to Saunders. He did great tonight I hope he has turned it around.
Man did we need that from the Colonel!

Nice to see a little offense too. But panther is totally Saunders.

Rex checking in and couldn't have picked a better night.

Light that baby up!

Defense did a good job too

definitely needed the day off.

P.S. Panther goes to Saunders. We NEEDED a big game from him to stoke the turnaround fire.
Hey for the points I know no one won but

it gives what our bets were and the awensers we gave but not our totals now? just thought id mention that.

I want credit for Saunders' CG

I goaded him into it by predicting that five pitchers would be used tonight, and on those rare occasions that I get fed up and guess with a negative bias the team makes me pay!

It was the guy who bet 8,000 pitchers would be used that did it.
But he only lost 3 Panther Points
The last two bets on this pregame picks are hilarious
Time to get a win streak going baby!!!!!
Wow this PGP

was the equivalent of the ball landing on 00 on the roulette wheel. Oh well, play continues on! Place your bets

Sorry but

I have to respectfully disagree with everything you’re saying

I was sb on the 57 at 9:45.

     As I neared the stadium I noticed the lights were on. No prob. The game must still be going on. I’ll watch it on my dvr later. No need to put my sun visor down to avoid seeing if the halo is lit or not. It’s Friday. If this had been a quick game the lights would be off for the fireworks.

     Why is the upper deck in right field so empty? The entire upper deck is empty. The halo looks like a sign outside of a Vegas casino. The halo is lit. Didn’t we lose the last game to the Rays? The parking lot is emptying out. We have won! Must have been a rain shortened game. Wait, it didn’t rain.

CGSO FTW.

Saunders = Slient assassin.

9th Inning

Did everybody see what I saw? Sosh had Rodney and Fuentes up in the pen AT THE SAME TIME…. Like he was going to try with some matchups or something… well if Sando couldn’t finish the CG off.

I was at the game and noticed that, too

I assumed that Saunders would be on a short leash in the 9th. He was already at ~100 pitches and Sosh wasn’t going to let this game slip away.

heard that on the radio...

I was so happy to hear that. I feel like Soth never does that and I wish he would micro-manage his bullpen a sometimes. Not ALL the time like Giradi but on the occasion. For instance, the closing game of the Seattle series, Stokes came into the ninth and the Angels were down 4. Pretty unlikely comeback but not a completely insurmountable lead. Immediately, Stokes looked wild, walked a batter and gave up a hit.

Bullpen silent…

bases get loaded, walks in a batter.

Bullpen silent…

gives up a 2-run single.

Bullpen silent…

Its like Soth just threw in the towel before the inning even started.

Unfortunately, I think it was still a "roles" decision.

If Saunders were to be taken out in the 9th with the score still 4-0 (non-save situation), Soth would have brought in Rodney, but if Saunders had given up a run first, it would have been Fuentes in a save situation.

Sorry to burst anybody’s bubble.

CG for the Colonel, who hasn't been great of late.

Pitched a damn good game, he got my vote.

I got served a bowl of Kernel crow.

Sure tasted good.

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