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Every starter now has at least one hit—-except Fowler and Wong at the top of the order. Both have made contributions to our scoring.
Between Bader and Wong, their speed may have resulted in five runs tonight. Wong gets on with an error ahead of a home run. Bader’s hit essentially resulted in three runs. Speed panics.
Finally, Wong gets on (albeit, by and error), and they do hit in the first. His first inning singles have been erased with DPs and no further hitting. Good start. 2-0
We have scored 12, 13, and 14 runs in three of the last six pitched by Wainwright. But, a first inning DP doesn’t help.
I was frustrated with the way this game was going (Leadoff triple not scoring, Wong striking out three times in what might have been key situations) until Fowler picked up Wong with a bases-loaded double to overcome Wong’s K. Suddenly, 2-1 went to 2-5. Then, Wong gets a baaes-loaded single to make it 2-7 before a couple of walks make it 2-9.
Now if Brebbia can just settle down and get someone out. 4–9 with one left.
First, I said at the All-star break that we had good enough pitching. I didn’t want to trade for a starter. Our starters have pitched well in the past forty-one games. Brilliant game by Hudson tonight, after a good night against KC. Two games, 12 2/3 innings, 5 hits, no runs.
I loved the way we got the first two runs. Carp, who had a single in the second, walked. Molina, who hasn’t been hitting (2 for 21 in August), singled brilliantly on a hit and run. Wong almost ripped a double before grounding into a force to score Carp, speed avoiding the DP. Moved to second on a sac bunt by Hudson. Single to left scores Wong who was running. That is how winning teams play small ball.
Nice close by Miller.
Martinez has been effective most of the time no matter where we put him. Closer isn’t the first shot, and he probably would be a better starter or long reliever. But, he has only had three blown saves, one of which ended up in a loss. He is well worth the money. We are only here because we have decent pitching, and it is fortunate that Gant can do long relief, and Martinez can close. Wasn’t where they began.
You might get the impression that Martinez is paid to make it interesting. Relief pitching by Alfred Hitchcock.
OK. So,we are facing a left-handed pitcher.
Against left-handed starters:
Wong 343On the road:
Wong 312So, we platoon Wong?
Sometimes, you have to look at game logs to see why a pitcher is losing. Mikolas has a better ERA than does Wainwright, but Wainwright is 9-8 while Mikolas is 7-13. Mikolas only has a 3-1 record when he allows zero earned runs. He allowed one unearned run against the Cubs and lost 0-2. Mikolas has allowed two earned runs in four games, but has a 1-2 record in those games. He is only 2-1 if he allows one earned run. So, if he allows 0, 1, or 2 earned runs, his record is 5-4.
Let’s repeat that. If he permits 0, 1, or 2 earned runs, his record is 5-4.
If he allows 3 earned runs, his record is 2-3. So, if he allows 0-4 earned runs, his record is only 7-7. In the seven games in which he allowed four or more runs, he has lost six. One had no decision in an 11-9 win. In those games, he allowed 4, 4, 5, 5, 5, 5, and 7 runs.
I don’t think Wong has hit with a runner on base since Thursday when he got the late double to make it 1-2.
That is twice that we have had a runner on third with one out: Lined to second and struck out. They have to score to win a pennant.
How did we go from 1-2 to 12-0? Needed at least one or two of these hits last night. Uh–oh? Hope we don’t need all 12 runs.
Let’s see if we can make sense of this. We have a hitter who has been hitting 388 since the All-Star break (31 for 80). at a to,e when a lot of people are in slumps. Yet, tonight, he scored for the first time since July 28 because nobody behind him is hitting anything. You think we might try Wong at #1 or #2? Has walked seven times as well. Total Ks since the break? 11.
Two great wins in a row with great pitching. We did NOT need to chase after pitching.
I preferred having everyone see that you can win by hitting single after single. You don’t need to swing for the fences and strike out. There was no big blow in a five-run inning. Just hit them where they “ain’t.” (Paul Waner?)
No-hitter? Six straight singles? A Sac Fly and a ground out score another two, and it looks like we blew them out with great hitting. 5-0, without an extra base hit.
