Season: 71-43; Home Stand: 3-1
Wrap, Box, Indy Week, Herald-Sun
This was one of those games that was just fun to watch. Pretty afternoon, if a bit warmish. Mostly very good baseball. Indianapolis made a couple of errors, but they also had a couple of nice double plays (they had 10 in the series!).
If the fans were disappointed in not seeing Hellickson pitch, I didn’t hear anything. Plus we saw some really good pitching on both sides anyhow.
Aneury Rodriguez got the start and held the Indians to just one hit through four innings, but he did give up a bunch of walks, to include putting two guys on base with one out in the 4th. Then, and here is one of the reasons that won-loss records don’t count for much, Joe Bateman came in for a very nice strikeout and ground out on thirteen pitches and got the win.
We then got our first look at Jake McGee. A very impressive first look it was. He struck out the side in his first inning of Triple-A baseball and had two K’s and a flyout for his second. He didn’t throw a pitch below 92 mph and most were much faster. Here’s the numbers on his last batter: 95/95/97/96. Overall 22 pitches, 18 for strikes. Then in a very evil move, Montoyo switched to R. J. Swindle who has a fastball that, on a good day, with a following wind, breaks 80. And a curve ball that loops in there at 50 mph, or so. He went 1 ⅔. Winston Abreu came in for the last batter (a righty) and his 17th save.
It seems that every time I’m about to write something negative about Justin Ruggiano’s year and especially his strikeouts (he broke 100 the other day), he comes up with a terrific night. Then I have to take a look at the rest of the numbers. He had all the RBI last night and he was 4 for 4. His average is up to .285 and he is now the team leader in RBI with 57. Plus he made a nifty play in the field.
Fernando Perez got in his ½ inning in the field last night. No word on when he will be back in the game.
With Hellickson off to Detroit for another major league start, Montoyo gets to play with his pitching lineup some more. Still, with today off, they are well-rested. On the other hand, today is the last rest day of the year. Where is Jeremy Cummings when we need him? (Seriously, has anybody heard anything about Jeremy? Last seen at Rays Spring Training in 2009.)
Web World
- The Rays had a tough day yesterday. Over at Her Rays, Jessica has a few admonitions for her Rays.
- The Wall Street Journal comments on that game, and more.
Posts
that was an oddball play with the catcher Carlin..? makes you wonder if he was channeling the late George Carlin when he stuck his nose down on the ground to try to blow the ball fowl..LOL
ReplyDeleteI missed the play (was hiking up to the top of the Blue Monster), so didn't comment. However, I remember Michel Hernandez getting down on his knees and blowing at a ball last year, but he was clearly joking when he did. Ball was already foul and was surely going to stay that way.
ReplyDeleteWe sit behind the visitor's dugout and got a great look at the Indian's catcher blowing the ball fowl -- strangest play I've ever seen! We could hear the umpire yell "You can't do that!" when he ran over. Is it considered interference or something?
ReplyDeleteScorer apparently gave Ruggiano a hit on the play. I missed any comments that may have been made by Solondz. Here's how the wrap describes it:
ReplyDeleteThe Bulls right-fielder chopped a ball out in front of home plate and down the third base line. Indians catcher Luke Carlin dropped to his knees and blew the ball foul, but home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez awarded Ruggiano first base on a single.
I think it might actually be both: interference and a single.
I was right behind the plate a few rows up and was also listening to Solondz, he did not have much to say about it other than like you said the ump gave
ReplyDeleteRuggiano a single..it was a weird play
overall though a nice aft/eve at the DBAP
nice to get home before 8:30 PM
Wade Davis, Jeff Niemann to DL; Mike Ekstrom recalled to Tampa, according to SP Times Twitter feed.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I saw anything in the rulebook that says you can't blow on the ball to push it foul. Just goes to show you that the folks that write the rulebook can't think of every dumb or improbable thing that can happen on a ball field!
ReplyDeleteTruly weird.
Bet he caught some ribbing once the game was over. He may even have caught more than THAT.
Just ran across this video, BTW - watch this play. I want the Bulls to sign this guy up!!!
ReplyDeletehttp://acts17verse28.blogspot.com/2010/08/sign-this-guy-up.html
Cool video. Gonna have to spread it around. And see today's post for rule interpretation.
ReplyDelete