Braves 2 Pirates 1
This one was for....Jay Powell?
With Horacio rolling merrily along (having thrown just 96 pitches through 8 innings), and Reitsma being given a day off, Brave-O-Matic assumed that HoRam would be given a chance to go all the way. But he was due up third in the bottom of the eighth in a one-run game, so Cox pinch hit for him, and things began quickly to unravel.
Powell was Cox's choice to finish the game -- something he's done sporadically, having notched 22 career saves. This was his fifth appearance for the Braves since coming back from Tommy John surgery, and it would turn out to be very likely his last. His second pitch sailed wildly outside as he screamed and crumpled to the ground, and you knew it was bad.
No doubt he's headed for a second ligament replacement -- a few other pitchers have undergone the procedure twice, and the typical recovery time after the second time is 2 full years. Whether you knew that or not, though, it's not difficult to see that Powell might have thrown his last pitch. Skip said it best -- imagine that, in a flash, you were no longer able to do your job, and you might have a clue what was going through Powell's head. Kudos to Skip and Chip for their respectful treatment of the situation, and to Chipper for knowing where the camera was, and crouching to block it as the trainers worked on Powell. Very classy.
There was still a game to finish, and the remainder of the ninth inning was a microcosm of the Braves season. Cox gave the first shot at closing the game out to retreads Foster and Brower, who proceeded to load the bases, getting just one out in the process, so it was time once again to entrust the game to a rookie, this time Macay McBride. McBride came in throwing gas, and blew away Ryan Doumit before inducing a game ending groundout by Tike Redman. What looked after 8 innings like a low-key victory over a bad team had suddenly become an occasion for much exultation, because this one almost slipped away.
Davies vs. Redman (unless he's traded today) at 7:35 tonight -- on TBS.
With Horacio rolling merrily along (having thrown just 96 pitches through 8 innings), and Reitsma being given a day off, Brave-O-Matic assumed that HoRam would be given a chance to go all the way. But he was due up third in the bottom of the eighth in a one-run game, so Cox pinch hit for him, and things began quickly to unravel.
Powell was Cox's choice to finish the game -- something he's done sporadically, having notched 22 career saves. This was his fifth appearance for the Braves since coming back from Tommy John surgery, and it would turn out to be very likely his last. His second pitch sailed wildly outside as he screamed and crumpled to the ground, and you knew it was bad.
No doubt he's headed for a second ligament replacement -- a few other pitchers have undergone the procedure twice, and the typical recovery time after the second time is 2 full years. Whether you knew that or not, though, it's not difficult to see that Powell might have thrown his last pitch. Skip said it best -- imagine that, in a flash, you were no longer able to do your job, and you might have a clue what was going through Powell's head. Kudos to Skip and Chip for their respectful treatment of the situation, and to Chipper for knowing where the camera was, and crouching to block it as the trainers worked on Powell. Very classy.
There was still a game to finish, and the remainder of the ninth inning was a microcosm of the Braves season. Cox gave the first shot at closing the game out to retreads Foster and Brower, who proceeded to load the bases, getting just one out in the process, so it was time once again to entrust the game to a rookie, this time Macay McBride. McBride came in throwing gas, and blew away Ryan Doumit before inducing a game ending groundout by Tike Redman. What looked after 8 innings like a low-key victory over a bad team had suddenly become an occasion for much exultation, because this one almost slipped away.
Davies vs. Redman (unless he's traded today) at 7:35 tonight -- on TBS.
posted by Sam Bass | 8:26 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home