After a disastrous bullpen meltdown led to a 15-10 loss to the surging A’s on Saturday, the Angels sent lefty Joe Saunders to the mound on Sunday hoping to avoid an ill-timed sweep.
Saunders delivered six innings of brilliance before falling apart in the seventh and needing a strong effort from veteran southpaw Darren Oliver to put the brakes on what looked like another unstoppable rally by an upstart Oakland club. The Angels eventually won the game 7-4.
Of course, Saunders is no stranger to winning. In spite of a bloated 4.62 ERA and 1.43 WHIP, he has 15 wins, thanks largely to the Halos’ potent offense. The Angels have won six of his last seven starts and seven of his last nine, and Saunders has been the pitcher of record in all of the victories.
The difference is that Saunders actually has been earning his wins of late.
The 28-year-old former Virginia Tech standout has not allowed more than two earned runs in a start since Aug. 7, and that streak includes strong performances against the Tigers and Yankees. The only blemish in his recent stretch of dominance is a 5 2/3 inning no-decision against the Red Sox, and Saunders was victimized in that game by a costly Erick Aybar error that opened the floodgates in a five-run Boston sixth.
Saunders’ recent unbeaten streak has been particularly significant for the Angels because rotation depth has been a problem for them all year.
John Lackey missed the first month of the season and has been inconsistent for much of the summer. Ervin Santana had a strong run from Aug. 6 through Sept. 1, but has been torched for eight homers in his last 25 2/3 innings and hasn’t picked up a win since Aug. 22. Jered Weaver is just 5-5 with a 4.73 ERA since the All-Star break.
Not surprisingly, GM Tony Reagins felt the urgency to make a move, and did so by acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays on Aug. 28. Kazmir has been a boon for the Angels in his first five starts, posting a tidy 2.01 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. But the offense has averaged just two runs a game in his outings, leaving the left-hander with just one win to show for his efforts.
If Kazmir remains the Angels’ lone consistently effective starter, and their bullpen remains a significant question mark heading into the postseason, Saunders could become a critical X factor in the likely division series matchup against the Red Sox.
Saunders is 4-1 lifetime against Boston, with a 3.24 ERA in eight starts. That’s far better than Lackey (3-7, 5.25) and Santana (1-2, 5.29). Weaver carries a solid 2-2 record with a 3.99 ERA versus the Red Sox, and Kazmir checks in at 8-7 with a 3.59 ERA. Kazmir, a former Ray, has the most experience (23 starts) by far against Boston.
The problem for the Angels is that regardless of the format — whether they will need three starters or four — they are dealt once the Yankees make their decision, Los Angeles will have to match up with postseason studs Josh Beckett and Jon Lester, the suddenly dominant Clay Buchholz, and a vastly superior bullpen.
Regardless of whether he’s in the division series rotation, Saunders will be called upon to eat vital innings — either starting a game himself, or allowing manager Mike Scioscia to have a quick hook with a struggling pitcher, before a contest gets out of hand.
Saunders’ ability to maintain his recent string of quality outings into October could determine whether the Angels can compile the scoreless frames they’ll need to move past the Red Sox into the ALCS.
