Wild card games 10-5-2020

 In the beginning of what would be a wild game, St Louis retired the first 2 Penguin hitters before Conn singled to left. Don Glenn followed with a routine fly to left, which was dropped by Jared Gary. Gromit popped the ball up towards third base, yet somehow the ball fell among third baseman Mark Gray. Both runners, moving with 2 outs, would score. After a steal, Manny Nunez singled in the third run and Wade Meyer hit a 2 run homer. Just like that, Robins were down 5-0 and Tim Garrison came in to relieve Jose Escobar.

Buddy Dervish loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but escaped without a run. St Louis scored 3 in the 2nd, and 4 in the 3rd as pinch hitter Lonnie Turner had a 3 run homer. In the 6th, Bryce Parkman hit a 3 run homer and they added another run to take an 11-5 lead.

With 2 out in the top 7th, Angel Garcia was thrown out trying to score on a single to center. St Louis had only 6 outs to go, but Michael Casteel gave up a 2 run homer, forcing Paul Hudson to bring in his closer, Matt King.

King loaded the bases with one out. Michael James hit a 2 run double. Angel Garcia tied the game when he reached on an error. With the go ahead run on third, Juan Penales and Conn struck out.

Still tied in the bottom 9th, Bryce Parkman came to the plate with 2 out and runners on 1st and 3rd. Penguins elected to pitch to him with Burgos on deck, but he hit a ground out to short.

Penguins did not score in the 10th. In the bottom of the inning, with lefthander Woody Francis on the mound, Paul Hudson elected to pinch hit backup catcher Tony Miller, a righty batter, for lefty Simon Burgos, who has only hit 113 homers over the past two seasons. St Louis made 3 quick outs, and the last guy on the bench, Steve Worthington, came in to play first base.

Penguins did not score in the 11th. In the bottom of the inning pitcher Paul Watkins came to the plate and had to bat, the Robins had no pinch hitters left. He actually singled, but Gerald Proctor, 5 for 5 to that point, struck out.

In the 12th Vaughan Henderson doubled in a run, and Glen Chase brought in another with a sac fly. Jake Richardson pitched a 1-2-3 9th and the Penguins will advance.

After the game Hudson was asked why he pinch hit for his slugger. He responded “it’s simple really, Burgos was a lefty and Miller a righty. I gained the platoon advantage. It’s what smart managers do to win ballgames.”

While he has 4 years left on his contract, it seems likely that the Robins will soon be looking for a new manager.

In the Superior League, we had a pitcher’s duel. Joe Clayton allowed a first inning run but no more as he allowed only 3 hits in 7 innings. In the 4th inning, Bobby Barrios hit a 2 run homer off Noel Walton, but Walton allowed no more and only 2 hits in 6 innings. The rookie sensation went 8-1 with a 1.81 ERA on the season.

In the bottom 8th, with 2 out and Jason Robinson on first, Cale Black tied the game with a double. Still tied in the bottom 9th, David Kison on the mound and one out, Xian Guao came up. The Taiwanese lefty was hitless on the day, but sent a 441 foot drive into the right field seats to give Baltimore a win.

They will take on Cleveland next.