I made the executive decision to basically do the MLB Playoffs like I did with the Brewers this season. Meaning the previews will be the same, highlights and lowlights will show up plus some recaps and bigger pieces. Hope you enjoy.
Highlights
David Ortiz - Even if the numbers might not prove it, I will always associate David Ortiz with clutch. Blame 2004 MLB Playoffs for that one, guys. While there is a ton to remember about that Boston team, Ortiz is probably the most memorable getting big hits off Mariano Rivera. We might not be able to agree Ortiz is a clutch hitter, but we can all agree he has a feel for the dramatics. He got another chance on Sunday as he brought the Red Sox back from the dead with a game-tying grand slam in the 8th inning. Ortiz took Joaquin Benoit deep on the first pitch and like that, Boston was alive again. I have never seen a team go from looking so in control to so deflated. Baseball is a cruel mistress but a mistress we all keep coming back to.
Michael Wacha - Well it is fair to say, he is going to be good for quite a long time. We have seen this before with the Major League Baseball playoffs where a young hot shot will come on strong and end up being a great pitcher/hitter for the following here. Wacha outdueled Clayton Kershaw with his team only getting two hits in total. It was incredible to watch him.
Max Scherzer/Anibal Sanchez - Both pitchers had full control of Red Sox's batters over the weekend. They made the best hitting team in baseball look completely silly. It looked like Boston had holes in their bats for the entire time both pitchers were out there. Both took no-hitters deep into the ballgame but only one came out with the team victorious at the end of it. Incredible if you think about it.
Carlos Beltran - Good series start for him huh? Beltran could be known as the NL Ortiz, or the true defintion of a clutch hitter in the postseason, whatever you're into I guess. Beltran had a two-run, two-out double in the fourth inning to tie up the game after Los Angeles had put up two runs in the top of the fourth inning. He continued his night by throwing out Mark Ellis at home in the 11th to keep the game at twos. Beltran finished off his stellar night by delivering another base hit to win the game for the Cardinals.
Lowlights
Prince Fielder - I honestly hate putting him in this category again, but Prince looked shook in the ninth inning of Game 2 as Boston had tied the game up. Jose Iglesias tried to do too much and threw a ball over the Fielder that completely ate him up giving Johnny Gomes an extra base. It continued as Prince could not caught a foul ball near the fans. Jarrod Saltalamacchia would soon after in the same at-bat deliver the walk-off winner.
Yasiel Puig - He has been all sorts of awful. St. Louis might be Superman's kryptonite. Puig is not seeing the ball the same way he was against Atlanta. He will work the count a bit, but it tends to end in a strikeout for the young Cuban. Puig acknowledged he needs to be better so hopefully things will get better for Game 3 tonight against Adam Wainwright... Welp, that might not be the best pitcher to start your revival against, but best of luck Yazzy.
Donnie Baseball's Bullpen - Not the best management of the bullpen for the Dodger manager. Mattingly needed to put in Kenley Jensen right away in the 13th inning instead of waiting for a runner to get into scoring position. If Jensen preserved the lead, great, and if not, well at least your best reliever had an appearance out there versus just using him to face one batter.
Detroit's 8th Inning - The Tigers finally had their bullpen come back to bite them in the ass. We all knew it was coming at some point and it finally hit like a hurricane. Who knows how they respond from that one especially Benoit.
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