Page 314 - 2020 Angels Media Guide

ANGELS IN THE POSTSEASON (2004)

2004 Season
The Angels clinched the American League West title with a 5-4 victory, October 2 at Oakland, despite numerous
injuries to key players throughout the season (14 players went on disabled list). The division crown marked the organi-
zation’s first in 18 seasons (1986), the Club’s fourth division crown (1979, 1982 & 1986) and fifth trip to postseason (2002
Wild Card entrant). The clincher came 22 years to the day that Angels won the West in 1982.
SEASON NOTES: The final season series against the A’s marked first time since 1980 two teams entered such week-
end tied for division title and playing each other to close regular season (Philadelphia at Montreal; 2-1 Phillies)…Angels
finished with a home attendance Club record of 3,375,677, second highest mark in A.L. and third highest in MLB…Club
finished in a virtual tie for first place in the American League in batting average (.2824) with Boston (.2819)…The mark
tied Club-record (.282) also set in 2002 and 1979…Angels ranked first in A.L. for fewest strikeouts (942) for the third
straight season (838 in 2003 & 805 in 2002)…Club led league with 143 stolen bases, marking the second time in Club
history (220 in 1975)…Vladimir Guerrero set or tied Angels’ season records in average by a right-handed hitter (.337),
runs scored (124, led league), hits by right-hander (206) and total bases (366-tied Club record and led league)…He would
become the second player in Club history bestowed with A.L. MVP honors (Baylor, 1979)…Halos finished with a 4.28
ERA, ranking fourth in A.L. (4.28 in 2003, 6th)…Bartolo Colon posted 18 wins, most by a first-year Angel since Bill Singer
with 20 in 1973…The bullpen finished 25-16 with a 3.47 ERA (590.1 IP – 189 ER) with 50 saves (3rd in A.L.) in 67 chances
(75%)…The bullpen ERA led Junior Circuit for the third straight season…Angels ranked first in A.L. in strikeouts with a
club-record 1,164, led by Kelvim Escobar (191)…Angels ranked tied for second in league with a .985 fielding percentage…
Halos committed just 90 errors in 162 games…Darin Erstad earned Gold Glove honors at first base.
Postseason
2004 DIVISION SERIES
After a postseason absence in 2003, the Angels returned to the playoffs in the 2004 Division Series to face the A.L.
Wild Card entrant Boston Red Sox…In Game 1 at
Angel Stadium, the Angels fell to Boston, 9-3, after a
seven-run fourth inning put the Sox up 8-0…Five of
the runs in the inning were unearned, after the Angels
led the Major Leagues by allowing just 36 unearned
runs during the season…Troy Glaus and Darin Erstad
homered off Curt Schilling to account for two of the
three Angel runs…In Game 2, the Angels took a 3-1
lead against Pedro Martinez, courtesy of a two-run
Vladimir Guerrero single in the fifth, into the sixth
inning before the Red Sox posted seven unanswered
runs over the final four frames…The torrid Red Sox
offense put Boston up 6-1 after six innings in Game 3
at Fenway Park…A dramatic grand slam from Guerrero
in the seventh frame tied the game at 6-6 but a 10th
inning, walk-off home run off the bat of David Ortiz
sealed the Angels’ fate as Boston was on their way to
the ALCS and eventual World Series title…The game
would mark the Angel farewells to Troy Percival, David
Eckstein, Troy Glaus and Ramon Ortiz.
SERIES NOTES: 2004 was the Angels’ second
club postseason
Division Series appearance (2002 vs. New York) and
second postseason matchup against Boston (lost in
‘86 ALCS, 4-3)… Angels were swept for the first time in
postseason play...Halos’ DS roster featured 10 players
making their postseason debuts: Alfredo Amezaga,
Jeff DaVanon, Kelvim Escobar, Kevin Gregg, Vladimir
Guerrero, Casey Kotchman, Dallas McPherson, Josh
Paul, Curtis Pride and Adam Riggs.

Guerrero’s grand slam in Game 3

313 2020 ANGELS MEDIA GUIDE