The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim clinched their first American League West title in five seasons on Wednesday night with a 5-0 win over the Mariners at home, followed by a Rangers 6-1 comeback win over the Athletics in Oakland.
Angels clinch American League West with win, Oakland loss
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Halos' win clinched at least a tie for the division, but up north the A's were still leading 1-0 in the eighth inning. Oakland even loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth but could not add to its lead. Texas rallied for six runs in the top of the ninth against closer Sean Doolittle and friends, the big blow a three-run home run by J.P. Arencibia.
The Angels’ game in Anaheim ended about an hour before the game ended in Oakland, but many Angels fans remained in their seats, watching the events up north on video screens at Angel Stadium.
#Angels fans waiting on A's to lose, AL West to be clinched. Thousands still here. pic.twitter.com/UnrqIeErOR
— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) September 18, 2014
Anticipation and excitement is building here #AtTheBigA! TEX-1, OAK-1 https://t.co/Fp3IBqLSjx
— Angels (@Angels) September 18, 2014
The Angels last won the American League West in 2009, also the last year the team reached the playoffs.
C.J. Wilson allowed only one hit in seven scoreless innings for his 13th win of the season. The left-hander had a no-hitter until the fifth inning, when Justin Smoak broke it up. Wilson struck out seven for his third straight victory.
Mariners hurler James Paxton matched zeroes with Wilson until the seventh inning, when one-out singles by Howie Kendrick and David Freese were compounded by an error by right fielder Chris Denorfia, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead. One out later Paxton was removed from the game in favor of reliever Danny Farquhar, who was greeted by a three-run home run by C.J. Cron to break the game wide open.
The Angels trailed the A’s in the AL West for most of the first half of the season, and as late as Aug. 10 were down by four games in the division. But since then the Halos are a best-in-baseball 27-8 and now own an insurmountable 11½-game lead in the division.
Despite losing ace Garrett Richards and starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs for the season, the Angels have been buoyed by an offense that has scored 4.89 runs per game, more than any team in baseball, and own the best record in baseball (95-57), three games ahead of American League East champion Baltimore Orioles.
The Angels will begin their first postseason in five years at home on Thursday, Oct. 2 in the American League Division Series, which will be televised by TBS.
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