Tie Clinched

The LA Angels did the heavy lifting for the Red Sox last night, whacking the Texas Rangers 11-0, to win the AL West title and giving the Red Sox a tie for the AL Wild Card. It was a rare night I was pulling for the Halos, and something I sure as hell won't be doing next week.

Josh Beckett couldn't go last night, as an upper back spasm forced Terry Francona to pull him earlier in the day in favor of rookie Michael Bowden. Unfortunately, he had nothing and gave up four runs in the first, and three in the third that put the Red Sox in a 7-2 hole against the Blue Jays. Not his fault, as I would guess most folks didn't have high hopes once Beckett was yanked.

The Red Sox brought in two more rookie pitchers after that, and it was 11-5 in the seventh when the heavens opened up and the game was called as a Toronto win later in the night as the rain poured down.

Had the Sox won last night, the Angels win would have clinched it all, so Clay Buchholz will take the mound tonight with the opportunity to officially put the Sox in the playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven years.