Playoff Reflections: ALDS & NLDS, Sunday

Angels vs. Red Sox: The Red Sox were eliminated in the ALDS,as they lost to the Angels, 7-6 and were swept. Red Sox Nation was shocked, and the with the Angels' backs against the wall in the ninth inning, they broke through and sent Papelbon reeling.

Papelbon blew a potential save with 2 outs in the ninth, allowing three runs to come in. He made the ninth inning very interesting as he gave up a RBI-double to Bobby Abreu to bring the Angels within one, and allowed the winning runs to come in via a two-run single fromVladmir Guerrero. Papebon would take the loss, while Kevin Jepsen -- who was pitching in relief for the Angels in the 8th inning -- earned the win. Brian Fuentes -- the Los Angeles closer -- got the save.

Clay Buchholz got a no decision in his first taste of the playoffs as he went five innings, and gave up two runs.

Meanwhile, Scott Kazmir, who has had a lot of good luck against the Red Sox – as a member of the Rays before he got traded to the Angels – got the no decision as he gave up five runs (all earned).

The Red Sox got Kazmir in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead as Dustin Pedroia had an RBI-double to center, and then Victor Martinez plated him in with single.

However, in the fourth inning, Kendry Morales hit a solo homer to right off of Buccholz to give Los Angeles their first run of the game.

The Red Sox raised their lead in the fourth inning to 5-1 as J.D. Drew hit a two-run shot off Kazmir to dead-center field over the outfield wall.

However, in the sixth, Clay Buchholz ran into a bit a trouble and loaded the bases; therefore, he was yanked from the game and reliever Daniel Bard came into the game. Bard got Juan Rivera to ground into a double play and allowed a run to come in, but was able to get the third out of the frame by getting Macier Izturis to pop-up.

The Angels got on the Red Sox bullpen in the top of the eighth inning as they allowed a few baserunners and then Juan Rivera plated in two runs with a two-out single; however, Rivera was lifted for a pinch runner – who was Reggie Willits, but he would be picked off by Jonathan Papelbon.

Boston added in an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth as Mike Lowell plated in pinch-runner Joey Gathright – in for David Ortiz – to give them a 6-4 lead.

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