Pretty nifty start to a major league pitching career: ten weeks and thirteen starts before he loses the first time. Weaver pitched better against the Red Sox than he has in some of his nine wins, but the Sox' Josh Beckett was better and David Ortiz blasted his 46th homer. What can you do. Weaver allowed just five base runners in six innings, including the dinger. His ERA stands now at 1.92, he is allowing less than a runner per inning, and his record is 9-1. He's already in the record books beside Whitey Ford as the only American League pitchers to start with nine victories.

So the Angels begin a weekend with the Yankees in Anaheim still deeply in second place, 5½ back of Oakland. The Dodgers have a less-impressive record but go into Arizona for three still in first place by a game, after being owned by the Padres (and the umpires) in San Diego.