A little help: top Angels games of all-time

[Jeff Fletcher]

Hey guys, need your help.

I am attempting to come up with the top Angels games of all time. Biggest, best, most memorable, most exciting. All that.

I can assume a few of them (game 6 of '02 WS has to be No. 1, right?), but wanted to throw it out for you guys.

Think not only about big postseason games, but big individual performances or other wild games.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Stradling]

Schofield hitting a walk off grand slam against Willie Hernadez in 84, to cap off an 8 run 9th.

[Stradling]

My personal favorite was first home game against the Yankees in the playoffs in 2002, we battled back the entire game.

Another favorite of mine was the first game back after Aidenhart was killed. We beat the Red Sox 3-1.

[Docwaukee]

2009 ALDS game 3 vs. boston.  comeback win in the 9th vs. papelbon.  

[KevinJ14]

I, for one, love extra inning games. So the walk-off HR any Pujols in the 19th inning last year is a good one. Or Pujols' 500 HR game.

How about from my favorite player all time, Garrett Anderson's 10 RBI Game.

[HaloCory22]

A personal favorite of mine was Weaver vs Kershaw in 2011 at Dodger Stadium. June 26th to be exact. Both were on their game. Weaver went 7, gave up 1 run. Kershaw went 9. Vernon Wells hit a go ahead homer off Kershaw in the 9th. We then lost the game in the bottom of the 9th on a play at the plate. Bourjos cranked it from RF and beat the runner to the plate. Mathis covered and Dee Gordon apparently got the hand in. Obviously, not an Angels win, but still an amazing matchup of two of the game's best at the time. One week later in Anaheim, same matchup and Weaver out dueled Kershaw who ended up getting blown out. Great week of baseball there.

[Broad Street]

I don't remember what year it was, but I remember watching the Angels in Oakland and Washburn was absolutely dealing (as he usually did against the A's). I think it was either 1-1 or 0-0 until Salmon hit a home run down the left field line in the 9th or 10th. Probably my favorite game I've been in attendance at.

[Angelsjunky]

There can be only one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know. That was cruel.

[Oz27]

Coming from behind in the ninth to beat Texas and go one game up in the division, just five days after being down three, on the fifth last day of the 2004 season is one of the most criminally underrated games in Angels history. That game went a hell of a long way towards winning the divison for the first time in 18 years, it was huge. The rally in the eighth to beat Oakland on the day we won the division that year was amazingly cool too.

 

It's a random one that ended up meaning very little, but there was that game a few years back (2011 I think?) where the Dodgers rallied against us in the ninth and the tying run was literally a second or two from crossing the plate when Juan Rivera threw some peanut out at second to save us the win.

 

Also, really early in Torii Hunter's stint here (April 08), he robbed Richie Sexson of a home run in the ninth with two outs that would have cost us the game.

 

GA's 10 RBI game has already been mentioned but Vladdy had a 9 RBI game against the Red Sux in his first year here as well. That was an amazing one. So was that John Lackey start in Oakland in 2006 (I think?) where he gave up a leadoff double and then retired the next 27.

[Inside Pitch]

There can be only one.

I know. That was cruel.

Meh, that's but a flesh wound compared to October 12, 1986.

As far as games with positive outcomes go..... game four of the 02 divisional series .vs the Yankees. The 8 run 5th inning that included a Shawn Wooten homer but in typical Angels fashion began with back to back bunts.... that inning really typified the Angels.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[ELEVEN]

Meh, that's but a flesh wound compared to October 12, 1986.

As far as games with positive outcomes go..... game four of the 02 divisional series .vs the Yankees. The 8 run 5th inning that included a Shawn Wooten homer but in typical Angels fashion began with back to back bunts.... that inning really typified the Angels.

This and that! Secondeded

[Inside Pitch]

Another single game performance that sticks out, October 1, 2004... Angels went into Oakland tied for first and had Colon facing Mulder.... Colon dominated that game for 7 innings and Alfredo Amezaga hit a grand slam off old friend Joe Blanton who had relieved Mulder..... The Halos went on to win the division by one game.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Inside Pitch

[Spirit]

To add a recent game into the mix:  I think the June 7th game against the White Sox, where Trout hit the grand slam off of Chris Sale to tie the game (a game the Angels would go on to win) was pretty outstanding.  (Or, #Troutstanding if you prefer.) 

 

 

We also have a number of great games list in our 50 Greatest Moments series:  http://angelswin.com/greatest_moments.aspx

[Brandon]

For some reason I always think about the game versus the Red Sox where Ramon Ortiz out pitched Pedro Martinez (I think we won 1-0) and that started the "Little Pedro" talk that he never lived up to.

[Lou]

Like Oz said, Vladdy's 9 rbi game vs Boston June 2,2004 was great.  I was fortunate to be at that game (and GA's 10rbi game -thanks, Bruce!)

 

2 HRs,  2B, single and a Sac fly for Vlad.  

 

What made it even more amazing is that Boston's starter that game was future HOFer Pedro Martinez

[CanadianHalo]

Game 2 of the World Series is probably my favorite. Salmon goes yard twice in a high scoring game.

[Brandon]

The Kennedy 3 home run game against the Twins in the ALCS.

Since he also said memorable, regardless of result, here are some bad ones:

-1995 one game playoff against Seattle.

-Mo Vaughn taking a tumble in his first game in an Angels jersey ND out for the season.

-Playoff downers: The Doug Eddings call in 2005. Fuentes grooving a fastball to an ineffective ARod when it's bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, and 2 strikes in the count to tie the game against the Yankees in 2008.

-Unfortunately, the brilliant and last start of Nick Adenharts career.

[fan_since79]

Game 4 of the 1986 ALCS vs. Boston. I was at that game with my brother. We were trailing 3-0 in the 9th inning against Clemens. We chased him and won it in the 11th on a Bobby Grich single. It's the only Angels playoff game I've attended. That was the high point for the team until 2002.

[nate]

#1 is definitely game 6 of the 02 WS

 

I would add Figgy's 6-6 game 6/18/07 as one of the most exciting non playoff Angels games I can remember.  5th hit tied the game and 6th hit walkoff.

[Erstad Grit]

The game in NY that Erstad made an unbelievable catch to send it to extra innings and then had a key hit. Sorry I can't give any specifics. I would guess late 90's.

[Erstad Grit]

One of the worst ever was the A's (I think?) had a walk off on a botched throw from the catcher to the pitcher. (Krod?) I remember it wasn't Eckstein at SS because he would have backed it up. 

[Erstad Grit]

A personal favorite of mine was Weaver vs Kershaw in 2011 at Dodger Stadium. June 26th to be exact. Both were on their game. Weaver went 7, gave up 1 run. Kershaw went 9. Vernon Wells hit a go ahead homer off Kershaw in the 9th. We then lost the game in the bottom of the 9th on a play at the plate. Bourjos cranked it from RF and beat the runner to the plate. Mathis covered and Dee Gordon apparently got the hand in. Obviously, not an Angels win, but still an amazing matchup of two of the game's best at the time. One week later in Anaheim, same matchup and Weaver out dueled Kershaw who ended up getting blown out. Great week of baseball there.

He was out. 

[Stradling]

One of the worst ever was the A's (I think?) had a walk off on a botched throw from the catcher to the pitcher. (Krod?) I remember it wasn't Eckstein at SS because he would have backed it up.

It wasn't a botched throw it was a regular throw he just let it pop out of his glove, no backing up unless he was literally on the mound with KRod would have helped.

[nate]

Yeah K Rod was annoyed and just took his eye off the ball.  It was all on him.

[Brandon]

Didn't Weaver pitch a game that ended up being a combined no-hitter, and we still lost?

I think it was against the Dodgers around his rookie year.