2018: Memorial Day Meltdown
That was the dumbest game I can recall in quite some time. Up 8-3 in the 9th inning, the Astros' win expectancy was at 99.3%. Here's how the 9th inning went down for Giles, Harris, and Rondon:
Double, single, single, strikeout, single, single, line out, single, single, line out. Five runs on seven hits - one for extra-bases.
*It was the Astros' first loss when leading in the 9th inning by 5+ runs since July 28, 2001. The Astros would go on to win the World Series in 2017.
*The Astros are 34-20. Seattle won, again, and are just one game back.
*All five of the 2017 AL playoff teams and four of the five NL playoff teams had the best records in their respective leagues going into Memorial Day. The Cubs were 1.5 games back of the Brewers for the 5th-best record in the NL on Memorial Day 2017.
1968 Watch
Runs allowed through 54 games:
1968 Indians: 132
2018 Astros: 148
*Terry Francona pointed to Jose Ramirez's lead-off double in the 9th against Giles, which came on the 17th pitch of the at-bat, as the turning point:
It changed the whole inning because they ended up having to go to the bullpen just because of the pitch count. There was a lot of things that happened that were incredible, or we don't win.
Hinch:
Obviously it creates some energy in their dugout, because it's a big at-bat. It's so rare to have an at-bat go that long, it also takes our closer out of the game. It's hard to run him up to 30 or 35 pitches. It completely changed the complexion of that inning.
*Bauer, who was in line for the L before the Law Offices of Giles, Harris, and Rondon crapped the bed:
It was kind of like old times in the sense that at UCLA he would pitch Friday and then I would go and try to one-up him...I think it turned out the best way possible. I don't think he deserved to lose. I don't think I deserved to lose. We both pitched great, both were super competitive, just a fun matchup for everybody involved.
Seriously, does Bauer ever stop talking?
*The meltdown obscured - or at least dampened - Jose Altuve's 10 PA hitting streak, a franchise record set by Jose Altuve in June 2017.
*Francisco Lindor was 1x16 in the series going into the 9th inning, when he knocked in the game-tying run.
*A.J. Hinch got tossed by home plate umpire Tony Randazzo. Hinch:
But honestly, I felt like he was a little too engaged with our dugout and not worried about what was going on on the field. I told him that, he didn't really like that, and he had a little short temper, and I ended up coming out of the game. It was a disagreement about where his attention should be, and it certainly shouldn't be in the dugout.
And because umpires get to live a life without things like accountability, Randazzo didn't have to give any explanation.
Will Harris was not happy in the 9th inning:
Will Harris was not thrilled Tony Randazzo's 0-2 call during his at-bat against Jason Kipnis. It's No. 3 here— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 27, 2018
“I struck him out on the pitch before and didn’t get the call, threw a fastball in the strike zone," Harris said, when asked about Kipnis' hit, which came a pitch later pic.twitter.com/KXhMoPGEZD
Video of A.J. Hinch's ejection. Looked and sounded like Tony Randazzo told him "don't tell me where to look." https://t.co/KwJ8OXw0eI— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 27, 2018
*Aaron Boone looks at the series beginning today as a measuring stick for the Yankees:
We look forward to that challenge. We look forward to playing in those kinds of games and I look forward in seeing our guys go out there and hopefully doing what we've done most of the year and that's at least making it very tough on those opposing starters.
All over the place on verb tense, aren't we, Boonie?
*Josh Reddick: Still out with that "leg infection." Hinch:
He's still not doing any activity and the longer that he does that, the more time we're going to need to get him back into baseball. I expect it to extend a little bit further than the 10-Day DL and we'll have to see how long it goes past that.
*The 2018 MLB Draft is in a week, and the Astros will have the 1-28, 2-66, and 3-102 picks. Dumb LOSENOW couldn't find a way to win the World Series AND have a top-5 pick? Team deserves to get hacked by the cheatin-ass Cardinals. In his latest Mock Draft Jim Callis has the Astros picking Chicago-area high school outfielder Alek Thomas.
*Buies Creek (28-22) beat Lynchburg 1-0 yesterday. Brandon Bielak (5IP, 2H/0ER, 6K:0BB) and Hector Perez (4IP, 0H/0ER, 3K:2BB) combined for the complete game shutout.
