A little help: top Angels games of all-time

[Brandon]

That may be the one I'm thinking of, but in the process started thinking about how KRod crushed it.

[Angel Oracle]

Well the one I'm thinking of is Colon was hurt yet started the game. He went one inning then was relieved by Santana in his rookie season. Santana pitched great, and the Angels won. I was at the game.

The other great part of that game was Pay-Fraud hitting into a double play in the 9th with the tying runs on base and no outs.

[fan_since79]

I'd say the Trout GS off of Chris Sale is the best post 2009 game.

Hard to top game 3 of the 2009 ALDS in Boston.

Game 4 against the Yankees in 2002 deserves more love - that 8 run fifth inning where they sent 13 men to the plate. It was one of those 'what in the world is going on' moments I'll never forget.

 

David Wells couldn't forget it either.

[Erstad Grit]

David Wells couldn't forget it either.

 

He had a whole chapter in his book devoted to that one inning. He called it his least favorite inning ever. Pretty awesome. 

[ELEVEN]

Worst inning ever is good enough for me.

[Mark68]

My personal favorite (because I was there) was April 11, 1990. Langston's first game as an Angel, and he & Mike Witt combined to no-hit the Mariners. The Angels won 1-0 on a bases loaded walk to Dante Bichette in the bottom of the 7th.

 

I also liked the Witt perfecto on the last day of the 1984 season against Charlie Hough and the Rangers.

 

The other games that have been mentioned are also great examples, especially Game 6 of the WS, the 8-run comeback vs the Tigers in 1986, and Game 5 of the '02 ALCS definitely stand out.

 

Another good one was 9/25/79: Tanana complete game victory over the Royals to clinch the first AL West title.

[nando714]

I liked the 9 rbi game from Vladdy against Boston I think it was.

[AngelsLakersFan]

would have been 2000, and i want to say it was august? The key hit was he went yard

Erstad was a beast that year

 

Forgotten in that game was the five run come back in the 9th off Rivera, capped by Mo Vaughn's three run homer.

 

That same season they had a game in Texas where Hasegawa balked in the winning run from third base. Scioscia came out and argued, and got the umpires to change their minds, put the runners back and the Angels got out of it, and went on to win the game in extra innings.

[AngelsLakersFan]

lol, now i feel like a super nerd for remembering it that closely

I remember seeing it at my buddies place after work. Skank fans giving him an ovation for the catch.

Ersty was amazing that year. Did everything, just had poor pitching

 

For people who did't see the game, the reason it was so memorable was because the game was over. The winning run was at third base and that was an uncatchable ball. Erstad caught that one through sheer will alone. Probably the finest catch of his career, situation not withstanding.

[Richard]

I liked the 9 rbi game from Vladdy against Boston I think it was.

 

Off Pedro too!

[itsKnoppUitsme]

A memorable series. I believe it was 1979, in Anaheim vs the Yankees.  A 3 game series where the Angels won game 1 in the 9th. Angels win game 2. Then in game 3 Grich hits a walk off to rf to sweep. That series gave momentum to help win the teams first Division Championship. It was like the team had got over the hump from being a door mat to a serious contender.

THIS!

[itsKnoppUitsme]

What about Eckstien's walkoff Grandslam! (Toronto?) That's when it started to really feel like something was up!

[fan_since79]

What about Eckstien's walkoff Grandslam! (Toronto?) That's when it started to really feel like something was up!

 

We went 17-3 in our next 20 after that Sunday game.

 

[Richard]

What about Eckstien's walkoff Grandslam! (Toronto?) That's when it started to really feel like something was up!

 

One of the long lost favorites!

 

[WallyWorld]

He had a whole chapter in his book devoted to that one inning. He called it his least favorite inning ever. Pretty awesome. 

 

wow, I didn't know that. Awesome indeed.

[red321]

Probably too many 2002 games, but a few others to throw in the mix.

 

The 9/11/2002 memorial game vs. Oakland. Oakland was still riding that high of their ridiculous winning streak but the Angels had hung in their with them and were only a few games back. Oakland jumped out to an early 4 run lead, but the Angels clawed back...only to see the A's take the lead again. Wooten comes up with a huge hit to put the Angels over the top. The energy in that stadium was absolutely amazing, especially with the white rally towels and it really set the stage for what happened the rest of the year.

 

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=220911103

 

Another great game was the Salmon bomb in the 10th to win the game on the road vs. Oakland a few days later. I can remember watching every pitch of that game on pins and needles.

 

I always enjoyed the Lackey game in 2006 where he gave the leadoff hit and then shut down the next 27 batters in a row. I can remember I heard the first Oak batter come up and hit a double. Figured it would be a long night. Came back to the car to hear Lackey finish off the last batter in the 9th and then realized he had retired every batter but the first. Maybe the game sucked, but only stands out in my mind because of the circumstances.

[ten ocho recon scout]

There was a game in Texas in September 2004 where Vlad hit a chest high fastball damn near a foot off the plate inside for a home run to left. That was the game that started his ridiculous run to end that season. I just remember a feeling after that game of "We got this. Vlad is going into full Hulk mode." It exemplified one of the things that only Angels and Expos fans really understood... Vlad could hit this ridiculous level for a few weeks at a time where you just knew he'd destroy whoever was pitching on any given night.

that was a great run. Remember being out to dinner when curtis pride came through against texas. Vlad was INSANE that week.

Vlad had a bad rap with too many fans because he couldnt carry a weak offense in the playoffs. But weeks like that really cemented his place as so far (imo trout still has a ways) as the baddest angel of all time (ryan is up there next to him)

[ten ocho recon scout]

@red, funny you mention the 9/11 game. I meant to post earlier 9/12. Same set up, against oakland, we were leading. Oakland comes back to toe in i want to say the 8th.

In the 9th, erstad stole 2cd, takes 3rd on a bad throw. I think it was the first of his helmet off stolen bases.

Speeze ends up banging a double off the wall for a walk off. Best part was seeing erstad jog in from third with his arm raised, never even waiting for the ball to land. Thats always been one of my top 5 moments because i was such a huge erstad fan

If i remember correctly erstad was a pinch runner that game too

[AngelsLakersFan]

There was a game in Texas in September 2004 where Vlad hit a chest high fastball damn near a foot off the plate inside for a home run to left. That was the game that started his ridiculous run to end that season. I just remember a feeling after that game of "We got this. Vlad is going into full Hulk mode." It exemplified one of the things that only Angels and Expos fans really understood... Vlad could hit this ridiculous level for a few weeks at a time where you just knew he'd destroy whoever was pitching on any given night.

 

This is why great hitting beats great pitching. It didn't matter what you threw Vlad, he could hit it hard.

[ten ocho recon scout]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/gamecast?gameId=220912103&version=mobile&src=desktop

Ok, so erstad didnt steal second, he doubled and stole 3rd. But thats the game i mentioned. Funny reading that, i remember chavez hitting rhat jack, and i rememner as he was running to first he looked over at oaklands dugout pimping it, and i remember being pissed about it. That was a great win.

Reading the article the night before brought back a ton of memories too. I remember being at a buddies house, his whole family die hard oakland fans, when salmon went yard.

[fan_since79]

How about honorable mention for the game that followed Eckstein's walk-off slam? We beat Cleveland 21-2, scoring 10 runs in the 8th inning.

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE200204300.shtml

[mpcincal]

A memorable series. I believe it was 1979, in Anaheim vs the Yankees.  A 3 game series where the Angels won game 1 in the 9th. Angels win game 2. Then in game 3 Grich hits a walk off to rf to sweep. That series gave momentum to help win the teams first Division Championship. It was like the team had got over the hump from being a door mat to a serious contender.

 

I'm glad someone brought that up. I was at the Sunday game as an 11-year-old in which Grich hit the walk-off; I believe he had all five RBI in the 5-4 win. That's still the best game I've seen live. Also, the previous night, the Angels actually fell behind 6-0 to the Yankees early and had narrowed it to 7-4 before Baylor's HR, and a run in the 10th to win it.

[disarcina]

My favorite -- and a game I was at -- was when we eliminated the New York Yankees in the ALDS in 2002.......in Anaheim.

 

This was the start of  K-Rod's time in Anaheim -- he was an 'injury' replacement (could have been Wally Post LOL!) for some injured pitcher.......Yankees and others cried foul.....K-Rod --a September call up -- was added to the post-season roster and just blew away the hitters.

 

I was able to get some great Terrance level seats -- in the overhang shaded area behind third base closer to the plate than third -- K-Rod's family members were sitting nearby and were relatively new to all this --

 

the atmosphere in the park was electric........and when the Halos won the game the general feeling was -- THIS IS IT - We're FINALLY going to win one for the Cowboy -- even though he had left us and his family no longer owned the team.......they played Back in the Saddle on the jumbotron afterwards and the feeling was just 'hey, we just beat the Yankees -- we're going ALL THE WAY"

 

I attended Game One on the World Series vs. the Giants that year (not quite as good seats as the Yankees game) but I'd rank that game as really a highlight.......Longtime frustrated Angels faithful fans were pretty much weeping with joy after that win -- it was just known right there, right then, a Halos World Championship was meant to be.

[ELEVEN]

I think Fletch is gonna get a whole series of columns outta this thread.

[eligrba]

My first Angels game as a small larvae back when the Big A was literally a field of dreams.