A ho-hum finale

It was no Game 6, but Angels got what they needed

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Truth be known, Game 7 was a total letdown. It was completely and utterly anticlimactic. How could it not be, after Saturday night?

Still, Sunday was a Game 7 in the World Series. There was a little riding on the outcome. The game did have some meaning. So the Anaheim Angels dutifully did their job, did it like they haven't all Series, and beat the San Francisco Giants, 4-1, to grab the first World Series title in the franchise's history.

Streamers fell at Edison Field, fireworks went off, Gene Autry was remembered, the Series trophy was passed around. Champagne spritzed, and cigars were fired up. Women cried. Men hugged.

When we remember the 2002 World Series, we'll remember a lot of things -- Barry Bonds and a ton of homers and the whole all-California thing -- but we'll best remember the Angels' wild comeback in Saturday night's Game 6. It was the emotional peak of an emotionally draining Series.

CNNSI.com's John Donovan Viewpoint: After a classic Game 6 on Saturday night, Anaheim's Game 7 victory proved to be anticlimactic. A Giant question: If San Francisco is to repeat as NL champions, they might have to do it without Dusty Baker and Jeff Kent. No-name faces Click the image to launch the clip The Angels won the World Series without a superstar-laden lineup. Start Angels manager Mike Scioscia commends the play of World Series MVP Troy Glaus. The Giants face an uncertain future after failing to close out the Angels in the Series. Scott Spiezio says winning the Series is one of the greatest accomplishments of his life. Adam Kennedy believes the Angels' team-first atmosphere was key to the club's World Series win. Video Plus Visit Video Plus for the latest video and audio. HEROES & GOATS HERO GOAT John Lackey L. Hernandez A rookie, throwing on three days' rest, starts and wins Game 7 with five solid innings. Maybe he does lose in October -- twice in this World Series alone. BY THE NUMBERS .857 -- Winning percentage (12-2) of home teams in the past two Series. 10 -- World Series titles won by teams from the state of California: The Dodgers have won five, the A's four and the Angels one. 14 -- Home runs hit by the Giants, most by one team in a World Series. 17 -- Men who have won World Series rings as both a player and a manager, including Mike Scioscia. 85 -- Total runs scored by both teams in this World Series, setting a record. 93 Years since a rookie starter won Game 7 of the Series. Pittsburgh's Babe Adams shut out Detroit in 1909. • World Series records set or tied

Then came Sunday and the inevitable hangover.

A rookie, John Lackey, started for the Angels in Game 7 and went five strong innings before stepping aside to let the bullpen do its thing. And the Angels' bullpen did, shutting down the Giants the rest of the way.

It was how things worked all season for the Angels. It was how things were supposed to work in the Series.

"We wouldn't be in the playoffs without our pitching," said Lackey, who gave up four hits and one run in his five innings. He struck out four. "Sure, we heard all the stuff about the pitching in the Series. They're not going to say much about it now."

This was, in fact, the highest-scoring Series in history, seven games of slugging and being slugged. The Angels had five straight games with 10 or more hits (until Sunday). The Giants hit 14 homers in the Series, more than anyone ever has (though they didn't hit one Sunday). There wasn't a starting pitcher on either side who went seven innings during this Series, the first time that's ever happened.

"I didn't expect the scoring," manager Mike Scioscia admitted in the clubhouse after the Game 7 win. There were scores of 11-10, 10-4 and 16-4 in this Series.

Still, even those games paled in comparison with the Angels scratching back from five runs down to win, 6-5, in Game 6, the defining game of the 98th World Series. It was the biggest comeback by a team facing elimination in Series history. No way would something like that happen twice in two nights.

No way was it even close. Game 7 was as calm as Game 6 was frantic. Lackey, 24, kept things cool by pitching out of trouble when he had to -- he got J.T. Snow and Reggie Sanders to fly out to end the biggest threat, in the fourth inning -- and gave the Angels just enough to get to their taxed bullpen.

Brendan Donnelly struck out pinch hitter Tom Goodwin in the sixth with two on, then gave way to young Francisco Rodriguez, who struck out Rich Aurilia, Jeff Kent and Benito Santiago in the eighth. That cleared the way for Troy Percival to close it down.

He did, with just a little trouble, getting Kenny Lofton to fly to center to end the game.

And not a moment too soon, either.

"Let's just say I'm lucky I'm holding this in my left arm," Percival said as he cradled the Series trophy. "My right arm would drop it right now."

While the pitching was doing its job -- finally -- the Angels got some help from Garret Anderson, their quiet left fielder. Anderson hit just .281 in the Series, but he had a big hit in the Game 6 comeback and, on Sunday night, it was his three-run double in the third inning that won it for Anaheim.

"Every single day, Garret was there. He was our MVP," said Brad Fullmer, the team's designated hitter.

"He's Mr. Clutch," Percival said. "He's been Mr. Clutch for us all year long."

After Anderson's double, the starters (and then the bullpens) settled in, the hitters settled down, and the game went the final 36 outs without anyone scoring. It was the longest stretch without any scoring in this Series, by far.

There were no raucous comebacks. There were hardly any dramatics at all. The balloon-slapping crowd at Edison Field was no louder than your average World Series crowd. The Rally Monkey didn't even make an appearance.

Granted, Sunday night was no Game 6. But the Angels won the World Series, and everyone celebrated. Really, no one could expect any more.

Even a team owned by Disney can't come up with a fairy-tale ending every night.

John Donovan is a senior writer for CNNSI.com.

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