Tuesday, August 24, 2004 |
Two Games
Angels 9, Royals 4
There's the teams you should beat, and the Royals are chief among them. Up until the eighth, Bart had a solid outing, with the Angels absolutely punishing Darrell May (as in, "Darrell, May I Have Another Home Run?"). Big timely hits from guys who needed to get them -- Vlad and Guillen, the latter hitting 3-4 including a solo homer -- and guys at the top of the order doing their jobs, too -- Eckstein 3-3 with a walk, Erstad 2-5.That we can worry about the right hand side of the equation "Bartolo Colon" plus "playoff game" says volumes about how things have changed over the course of the last few weeks. The Angels still trail Oakland by only a half game, they're atop the Rangers by a game, and tied for the AL Wildcard with Boston. Throw Glaus in at DH and Washburn into the rotation -- if both are healthy -- and that could be the division right there.
Montreal 8, Dodgers 7
To be honest, I've expected an implosion from OP for a while now; he's never been as good as the 2.75 ERA he carried into the game would indicate. But, as he put it after the game,"I don't think I did nothing wrong," said Perez. "You think your stuff is working, and it doesn't work -- nobody's perfect. There are going to be days when you get crushed and leave the game. It's one of those days. I'm not concerned about it."And, frankly, neither am I.
This isn't the weak Montreal club that the Dodgers played back in April and May. The Expos are now 12-8 for August. That 7.5 game lead the Dodgers enjoyed as recently as August 11 has been cut nearly in half to only four games.
Beltre continues to amaze. 39 homers and counting. Jon waxed lyric and numeric over his spectacular record already. Beltre's within hailing distance of breaking Harmon Killebrew's record for 49 home runs for a third baseman. Choi recorded yet another incomplete game with two at bats and one single, making his acquisition as questionable as that of the injured Brad Penny. Finley's 2-5 game -- including a bases-clearing double -- shows his bat has been the biggest gain DePodesta's trades have netted to date.
Today, Ishii, and the crapshoot that his arm has become.
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