Games » St. Louis Cardinals
Jun15Another crazy ending
Lee Judge
The Kansas City Star
If you watch enough baseball, you’ll often see something nobody has ever seen before — and sometimes you’ll see it two nights in a row. Nobody could remember ever seeing two games in a row finished in more improbable ways: Brayan Pena‘s single and a half that won Thursday night’s game and the Bad News Bears defensive play that abruptly silenced 42,000 Cardinals fans — stunned by what they’d just witnessed.
OK, here we go: the Royals were up 3-2 going into the bottom of the 9th and Jonathan Broxton ambled in from the pen to close the game. Alcides Escobar made a highlight play to get Yadier Molina for the first out. (By the way, slow runners make for great infield plays — you can’t dive, grab the ball, jump up and fire and get the fast guys.) The next batter, Matt Adams, struck out.
Tyler Greene singled and stole second base. Humberto Quintero‘s throw hit Greene’s thigh and bounced away. Chris Getz, backing up the play, went after the ball as Greene set sail for third. Chris, known for his smarts, made a bad decision: he decided he could throw Greene out at third.
The ball was trickling away, Getz grabbed it and let it fly — right past third base. Greene then took off for home and the game appeared to be all tied up. But Getz’s throw missed going in the dugout by about two inches, hit a railing and caromed back to Mike Moustakas. Moose made a desperation throw, Humberto Quintero did a great job blocking the plate and a whole bunch of people wearing red staggered to the exits, wondering that the heck just happened.
Game notes
According to Doug Sisson, Busch Stadium plays fair, regular dimensions and no weird porches, but the ball can go down the line and hit a wall set at 45-degree angle to the foul line, so a ball that looks headed for the corner can suddenly carom into short left or right.
I asked Doug if there was any jet stream in Busch and he said at the moment, the ball was carrying in right (this was during BP). That condition can be temporary and change quickly. So a pitcher might approach a hitter differently in the first inning than the third, based on the flags.
I was halfway to St. Louis before I got Jarrod Dyson‘s joke from Thursday night: He said he had “Mr. Zoombiya” speed. That’s “Mr. Zoom-by-ya.” (My son had to explain it to me.)
I asked Sisson where Dyson was standing that night when he took off for home after the ball was bobbled at second base, “The cut of the grass.” 85 feet from home plate, Rickie Weeks mishandles a throw and Dyson scores.
Nobody’s in Dyson’s class, but Alcides Escobar isn’t too shabby: in the 2nd inning he turned a single into a double, stole third and scored on Dyson’s bunt single. National League baseball in the Cardinal’s house.
In one of many terrific defensive plays, the Royals picked off Carlos Beltran after he stole his 300th base. That’s baseball for you: enjoy the moment — and now the moment’s over.
More National League style ball: Alex Gordon doubled, Chris Getz rolled a bunt out that was so perfect it looked like he threw it underhand and Jeff Francoeur drove Alex in.
Third inning: Cardinal runners at second and third, nobody out, the pitcher at the plate. An obvious bunt situation. Alcides Escobar signals Mike Moustakas that he’s coming to cover third base. That frees up Moose to crash the plate. Mike pounces on the ball, throws to Escobar to get the lead run and Esky then turns it into something really special: he guns it to first. Eric Hosmer also crashed the plate so Chris Getz is covering the bag for a 5-6-4 double play. In one brilliant sequence the Cardinals go from a very promising inning to having a runner on second with two down. He does not score.
There are a few situations during the game where a stolen base might seem logical, except Kyle Lohse is too quick to the plate and Yadier Molina throws out runners at a 44% clip.
Vin Mazzaro, who provided the Royals with another great start, is pulled after six innings and 80 pitches. Mazzaro had developed tightness in his calf and Ned Yost decided to play it safe — kind of.
Hard to play it real safe when Greg Holland, Tim Collins and Kelvin Herrera were unavailable. Ned wanted Crow for the 8th and Broxton for the 9th, so he had to somehow negotiate the 7th with a combination of Roman Colon, Nate Adcock and Jose Mijares — and Mijares was only available for maybe one batter. After Colon made things overly interesting, Ned used Mijares to end the 7th, facing the left-handed Daniel Descalso.
Ned Yost gets criticized for his managing, no big deal, all managers do. On the other hand, everyone thinks the bullpen has been terrific. Someone is getting the right guys facing the right guys at the backend of games — maybe the manager deserves some credit.
The 7th inning is the Chris Getz show: he singles, goes first to third on Eric Hosmer’s single to right and then scores on Jeff Francoeur’s shallow fly ball to centerfield. Getz sees that Molina has the plate blocked, slides to the right and reaches in to touch the plate as he skids past. This will prove to be the winning run. All three runs scored in the National League style. (Of course, this only works if you pitch well and play solid defense.)
Top of the 8th and Humberto Quintero pinch hits. (Billy Butler was being saved for a situation in which he had a chance to drive in a run.) Quintero remains in the game, replacing Brayan Pena, as catcher. Ned knew the Cardinals still had Adron Chambers on the bench and figured Adron would come out to pinch run at some point. That meant the Royals would need their best defense and Yost wanted Quintero’s arm behind the plate.
After this crazy game, Jeff Francoeur walked by, grinned and silently shook his head. I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Mazzaro
Escobar
Francoeur
John Wilson
11 months, 1 week agoIt has been a while since I’ve watched one play that had me both swearing and cheering at the TV.
I didn’t think anything could top the excitement of the Milwaukee series. Nowq I’m thinking I could be wrong and that’ll be ok by me.
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoJohn: It was amazing being in the stadium: the fans were screaming their heads off one second, silent as a tomb the next.
You’re not going to win many that way, but wins like this help convince teams to keep battling no matter what—something good might happen.
Robert Sailler
11 months, 1 week agoI found it interesting that after the last play, all the Cardinal fans were screaming, “Mooooooooooose!” Great analysis of the game, Lee. Nice move by Ned to leave Q in the game.
John Wilson
11 months, 1 week agoAgainst Milkwaukee in the bottom of the ninth, Mitch swings for strike three at a pitch so bad the catcher couldn’t even get to it. Against the Cards, Getz makes a throw that even he admits you learn in Little League not to throw. Both times, it sets up a game winning play.
The Royals finally have a little luck coming their way to offset that 12 game losing streak.
Joel Kallem
11 months, 1 week agoMoose has come a long way as a defensive player. The double play in the third and the throw in the 9th are both “come to be expected” plays. Traditionally, teams try to be strong up the middle, but the Royals are super strong up the left side with Esky, Moose and Gordon. All three are definitely All-Star level players right now (especially on defense), although they probably won’t get this recognition.
Our much maligned starting pitching deserves a pat on the back as well. The last stretch of games has showed that they can keep us in it and give us a chance to win (even though we are only 5-5 over that period).
Jim Brown
11 months, 1 week agoI’ve been watching KC baseball since 1955. I have never seen a collection of strong armed position players to compare with what DM has assembled.
Thayne Griffin
11 months, 1 week agoChris Getz played well last night..until that throw in the ninth. And not surprisingly, his bunt went to first base side (thanks for pointing that out earlier Lee!). Thought Dyson had one of his best games at the plate too (maybe he’s learning). And don’t look now, but Gordon and Hosmer are starting to heat up a bit..
Props to Mazzaro last night as well. Afterlast season, I thought we’d never see him again, but he has pitxhed extremely well in 4 starts so far so I hope he doesn’t need time off for that calf.
Seems like at least half the time Esky steals, there is no throw. He must subliminally know when the pitcher will be slow on 1 pitch or when he is napping and not paying attention making for easy steals, and last night’s created a very important run early. He may be one of our smarter baserunners.
Charles Purvis
11 months, 1 week agoIt’s amazing what a little bit of luck can do.
The last four games have been some of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever watched, bar none. Of course, had any little thing gone the other way, the result would have been different and the comment boards would be lit up with angry fans.
Mazzaro pitched great. Rarely behind in the count, and the results show what that does. To quote a famous person, “That what strikes do.”
Like the first poster, the play to end the game had me going from, “Well I’ll be a son of…” to “GOT HIM! THEY GOT HIM!! I @&#^#% CAN’T BELIEVE IT!!!”
Joe Reubens
11 months, 1 week agoCrazy crazy crazy.
Very impressed by Mazzaro. When we have defense like we do all pitchers should just throw strikes and let the D do the rest. Of coarse it is more complicated than that - some hitters tend to hit strikes a long ways - but I’d rather give up a hit than a free base.
Lee, Not sure if you’ve done this or not, but maybe your next video should be trying to attempt nuts with Getz teaching or trying to field a bunt from third. Just a thought.
Sam Miles
11 months, 1 week ago“On the other hand, everyone thinks the bullpen has been terrific. Someone is getting the right guys facing the right guys at the backend of games — maybe the manager deserves some credit.”
Fair, but…
On the other hand, everyone recognizes that the offense has been pretty bad (especially after last seasons performance). Someone has playing for one run an awful lot – maybe the manager should take some heat.
Joe Reubens
11 months, 1 week agoAlong with Sam’s point - sometimes great players make managers look good. Everyone knew our bullpen would be solid and for the most part they have been. I’ll give Yost some credit for managing them well but am afraid of how fresh they will be in August/September because of the rotations struggles early on.
Jim Brown
11 months, 1 week agoIt is undeniable that luck played a role in last night’s win. But that good fortune would have been squandered but for Getz’s speed and smarts on the basepath, the great play by Escobar on Melina, the strong throw from Moustakas and the block and tag by Quintero to get Greene.This was good luck but it was not a fluke.
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoLike anybody else, you have to look at a manager’s positives and negatives to get an accurate picture.
There has been plenty of criticism of Ned, but not too many people pointing out what he’s done well.
Ned’s response to criticism of playing for one run is that when you’re team isn’t hitting (Chris Getz is currently leading the team with a .302 average) you better take what’s available—there aren’t a lot of big innings coming your way.
Joe, you’re right, a lot of people are worried about how often and early Ned has had to go to the pen. We’ll see how that plays out.
Lee Judge
11 months, 1 week agoWe took a baseball and threw it at the two railing the ball hit to try to make it duplicate the same carom as Friday night. It took about 12 throws, so some luck, but good plays afterwards.