Sweep of Sox important in so many more ways

October 11, 11:39 PMLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim ExaminerWilliam Martinez

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AP/Michael Dwyer

No offense Rory Markas, but Sunday was not just another Halo victory.

No, the Angels' improbable 7-6 win over Boston in Game 3 of the American League Division Series was much more.

Not only did the win exorcise the demons that have befallen the team against the Red Sox over the past six seasons, but it also got rid of a ghost that hung around for 23 years.

Sure, some fans will say that the spirits of 1986 were vanquished when the Angels knocked off the Twins in the 2002 American League Championship Series and the Giants in the World Series.

But for a lot of fans (this reporter included), this series truly is the end of the "Hendu Hex" on our beloved team.

Almost 23 years to the day, nearly 65,000 watched as Dave Henderson went from platoon player to postseason hero on a pair of swings. Yes, the two-run home run in the ninth to give Boston a 6-5 lead was his signature moment, but Hendu's Hex truly was sealed with an 11th-inning sacrifice fly to wrap up the win for the Sox.

Now, in 2009, the parallels are almost eerie.

This time, Boston had the closer who was expected to save the team and the city from getting its comeuppance.

Not only had Jonathan Papelbon been basically unhittable in the postseason during his career, he had also owned the Angels in a big way. The right-hander entered the 2009 postseason with a 1-0 record, two saves, a 0.00 ERA and *two* hits allowed to Angels' pitching in 6-1/3 innings of work.

But Sunday, this Angels team found its version of Bobby Grich, in the form of Vladimir Guerrero.

In 1986, Grich was near the end of his career and found himself having to fight through injuries and limited playing time because of a deep, veteran-laden roster that was put together by Mike Port and Gene Mauch.

That postseason against Boston, the wily second baseman came up in the 11th inning of Game 4 and singled home the winning run, putting the Angels up 3-1 in the series.

He also had an improbable home run, thanks to a misplay by Henderson, to give the Angels a cushion in Game 5.

Fast forward and we now find Guerrero. Though his overall career may have a few more years, with a contract of $17 million this season, Vladdy also found himself potentially at the end of his Angels years.

But Big Daddy got his biggest hit of the postseason since a tying grand slam in 2004 with a two-run single to complete the comeback againt Papelbon, who suddenly found himself channeling Calvin Schiraldi.

With the comeback complete, Brian Fuentes came in and did his best impression of the good Papelbon, getting two pop ups and a routine fly ball to send the Angels to a date with the New York Yankees.