May 31

May 28, 2020, 09:11:13 AM

A good day of baseball to end the month. Unless you're the ACLs, who lost to the Landlubbers in extra innings, after a Rougned Odor home run in the top of the 10th put the game away 6-4. Shane Bieber had a good 7 innings for the ACLs whereas Tyler Mahle only lasted 4.2 IP (but was also somewhat effective), but it didn't matter. The Landlubbers made the most of their chances (7 men left on base) whereas the ACLs couldn't capitalize on 2 Landlubbers errors and left 10 men on base.

Compared to some low-scoring Blues victories in the past, this one wasn't some 9 IP lights-out pitching performance. Yes, Kershaw had 10 Ks and yes he only gave up 1 hits and 3 BBs, but Kershaw only went 6 IP before Blues relievers came to the mound. And there were a number of relievers - Baez for .2 IP, Kelly to finish the 7th, Chavez didn't even record an out in the 8th and was replaced by Perez who finished the 8th. Seth Lugo then closed out the game for the win.

If you just looked at the final line of the Miners 7-6 win over the Brewers, but ignored walks, you'd probably have though the Brewers would have won this game. Brewers pitchers combined for 18 Ks to the Miners 9 and had 9 hits to the Miners 5. And entering the 7th inning, you'd probably be right that the Brewers were going to win. But the walks... in the bottom of the 7th, Wingenter of the Brewers walked two Miners batters before Blackmon homered to right. The bottom of the 9th was even more disastrous - though Wick started the 9th by plunking Matt Chapman in the side, he followed with two quick outs. And then promptly fell apart. Walk, wild pitch, intentional walk, walk to score a run, and then Nelson Cruz won the game with a single to score two runs. Wick and Coach Brandon are going to have words after this game.

Tonight was all about Max Kepler as the Dogs crushed the Rainiers 13-5. Kepler went 2 for 4 with 1 home run and 6 RBIs. Shohei Ohtani also showed why the Dogs showered him with money going 3 for 4 with his one solo shot and a couple of runs. Ohtani is having a year in line with expectations - .289 with 9 HR. If he continues to hit like that when he comes back to pitch, he will be invaluable.

It was hard for the Miners to part with Zack Greinke in the offseason and the Bums 4-3 win tonight over the Argonauts is why. Greinke went 8 innings with 7 K and basically shut down every opportunity that the Argonauts had to score. Frankly this one shouldn't have been as close as it was and shouldn't have gone to extra innings, but Pagan's lapses in the 9th gave the Argonauts some life. At least until the bottom of the 11th when Laureano led off the inning with a solo show on the third pitch.

Re: May 31

Reply #1 – May 28, 2020, 09:44:03 AM

Thanks for doing these David.

Re: May 31

Reply #2 – May 28, 2020, 12:49:52 PM

Odor has been very ineffective in his pinch hitting role (.081 on 24 ABs) but a GWRBI will always be on the record.