Last night was a heart-breaker, a winnable game on the road that the Astros nutted more than the Yankees won (reminiscent of the Angels' blown save game) that could have taken a series from one of the Big Boys. Whether it was passed balls, Fernando Martinez not even attempting to make a play on an Ichiro flyball to right-center in the 1st (allowing him a triple and to score one batter later), or the play where Lyle Overbay danced around, delaying enough for Eduardo Nunez to score and make the game 5-4...which apparently was totally designed. The New York Times breaks that play down:
With one out and Overbay at first and Eduardo Nunez at third in a tied
game in the sixth inning, Kelleher observed that Astros second baseman
Jose Altuve had inched in a step closer to home plate. So he reminded
Overbay that if the ball were to be hit to Altuve, he could not allow
himself to be tagged, or else Houston would turn a quick double play and
Nunez would not have a chance to score.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
