The Sox get another chance to clinch tonight at 8:37 when Jon Lester takes the mound against John Lackey.
Frustrated all night, the Angels won it with a manufactured run in the top of the 12th off lefty reliever Javier Lopez, Boston's sixth pitcher. Halo hero Mike Napoli (two homers) singled to left and was sacrificed to second by Howie Kendrick. No. 9 hitter Erick Aybar sent Napoli home with a soft single to center on an 0-and-2 pitch. It was the first run since the fifth inning.
The victory snapped the Angels' 11-game postseason losing streak against Boston. The Red Sox had won nine consecutive playoff games. The midnight marathon fea tured high pitch counts, multiple trips to the mound, blown scoring opportunities, and blunders (physical and mental) by both teams. The Angels seemed intent on avoiding home plate, but their bullpen did a tremendous job holding the Sox down after the fifth inning.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia called his shot before the game.
"We're not getting eliminated tonight," the Los Angeles skipper said twice during his pregame media session.
It sounded noble but hollow. A manager is supposed to have faith in his guys, but the Angels did little to inspire any confidence while losing their first two games at home.
They continued their frustrating ways for 11 innings last night. Los Angeles stranded 14 runners over the first 11 frames, leaving the bases loaded twice and Torii Hunter was caught trying to take the extra base in the ninth. Los Angeles routed Boston's Mr. October, Josh Beckett (four runs, nine hits, four walks in five innings), but scored only five runs on 16 hits, five walks and a hit batsmen. In three games, the Angels have stranded a whopping 36 baserunners. And they live to fight another day.
The Angels fell behind, 3-1, in Game 3 because of a mind-boggling defensive blunder on an easy Jacoby Ellsbury pop in the second.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Ellsbury swung at a 3-and-2 pitch and hit a towering pop that was destined to drop in shallow center field. Gold Glove center fielder Hunter ran toward second while second baseman Howie Kendrick drifted back and appeared to be calling for the ball.
