While the Red Sox have allowed two teams to get within striking distance because of a 5-16 record in September, those two teams have missed several opportunities to get even closer.
Had the Tampa Bay Rays done better than 1-4 since they left Boston earlier this week, the race could be theirs to have. The same goes for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, losers of seven of their last 12.
The term "historic collapse" has been attached to Boston's slide numerous times in recent days. But a collapse isn't complete if you never lose the lead. Thanks to the play of the Rays and the Angels, the Sox have plenty of life and continue to control their own destiny.
This scenario was reinforced Friday night. As Boston saw its game in Yankee Stadium postponed, both Tampa Bay and Anaheim played on with a chance to get within two and three games, respectively, of Boston.
Instead, both teams produced exactly one run on exactly three hits, identical line scores that doomed them at a time when their staff leaders were on the mound.
David Price received the paltry support at Tropicana Field. Jered Weaver was the tough-luck loser at Angels Stadium.
Playing at home with guys like that on the mound makes winning an absolute necessity if either of these teams are going to keep it interesting. But the Rays fell to 6-9 this month in games not against the Red Sox, and the Angels dropped their second straight to also-rans since pulling to within two games of Boston in the wild card standings.
Price committed two errors to help Toronto defeat the Rays on Friday. The previous night, a wild pitch with a runner on third helped doom the Angels.
The trend has played out in the National League, too. After Atlanta's 8-13 slump enabled St. Louis to crawl closer, the Cardinals dropped two straight at home to the Mets and the Cubs. San Francisco had pulled to within four games of the Braves with nine to play, but a 1-3 record since has just about shattered the dreams of the defending champs.
Meanwhile, the six division winners are a combined 80-45 this month, most of them putting the hammer down when they had the chance.
Baseball is toying with the idea of adding another wild-card team to each league. Based on the way it's being treated in 2011, maybe they should just take it away.
