Sox have history on side in Game 4's

BOSTON -- Despite dropping a 5-4 decision to the Angels in Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Sunday night, it is the sixth time the Red Sox have won two of the first three games in a postseason series in team history, and the first time since the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets.

Conversely, this is the third time the Angels find themselves down 1-2 in a playoff series -- the first in a best-of-five format and the first time since losing the AL Championship Series, 4-1, to the Chicago White Sox in 2005.

For Boston, which can clinch a spot in the 2008 ALCS with a win in Monday's Game 4, history suggests a Red Sox advantage between themselves and the Halos in this particular situation. The Sox are 3-2 in Game 4's when owning a 2-1 advantage coming in.

All the games from this small sample size came in World Series, meaning all took place in a best-of-seven format. Either way, the results are pretty clear: Every time Boston wins a Game 4 to take a 3-1 series advantage, it wins the series. When they lose, the Sox generally do not end the series victorious.

The Angels have never won a series when down 1-2 after three games, going 0-2 in both opportunities and never winning that particular series. If they hope to reverse that trend, the Halos must win Monday and force a decisive Game 5 in Anaheim on Wednesday.

The Red Sox are 10-10 lifetime in the fourth game of a playoff series, 5-5 at home. The Angels are 3-5 all-time in Game 4's, 0-3 on the road.

When it comes to cumulative postseason results, the odds clearly lean in Boston's favor as the Red Sox prepare to face the Angels on Monday. In the 13-year ALDS history, teams are 11-5 when taking a 2-1 lead in the series. When combined with the NLDS, that figure grows to a decisive 23-6 advantage.

In postseason history -- combining the Division, Championship and World Series together -- a team leading 2-1 in a series heading to Game 4 own a .703 (116-49) win percentage.