Record: 51-51. Pace: 81-81. Change on 2018: -5.
Beer 1: Basement Robots Japanese Dry Rice Lager by Goldwater & Wren House Brewing Cos
This might be the first time I’ve recapped a middle of the work week game. Kinda refreshing really; I get an interesting break from my normal work week schedule, I get an added excuse to enjoy new beer and I now have two beercaps in the same week. Winning.
Two games back of a Wild Card spot and just a handful of days away from the trade deadline. Kinda feels like the season is either about to come to an end to accelerate in to high gear. By that I mean we’ll find out real soon whether or not we’ll compete for Oct or plan for 2020 and beyond. My money is on Hazen seeking out those pieces that secure our future glory. We’ll see though, we shall see...
First things first though, and that means facing the Orioles for game two of this series. The pleasant surprise, also known as Merrill Kelly, starts off with a easy 1st going 1-2-3 against the struggling Orange Birds. Dyson gets a leadoff walk, but Marte, Escobar and Walker can’t bring him to the promised land. 0-0 going in to the 2nd.
Kelly’s awesome 1st gives way to a not so great second as he starts the inning with a leadoff HR to Nunez followed by a single. That is then followed by a disheartening 2run blast, and just like that we’re in trouble. Shit.
Kelly ends the inning with his 4th K, but the damage has been done and we already have a hole to dig out of: 0-3 Orioles
3 Bundy issued walks later and Merrill Kelly plays the part of the unlikely hero, getting his first major league hit and driving in 2. We got a game folks. 2-3 Orioles going in to the 3rd.
Beer 2: Burn for the Moon IPA by Bottle Logic
Now that the game is back to being a game again I can switch gears to something a bit more bold than my first beer, and a beer made in honor of the moon landing. Good stuff.
Kelly’s good stuff eludes him again in the 3rd as Nunez gets his second hit/RBI. Then D Smith Jr launches a 3-run bomb and we’re right back in that hole again. 2-7 Orioles
McFarland cleans up the mess as Kelly’s night comes to a depressing close. He’s still been great, but it’s deflating to see such a terrible start versus a normally luckless team like the Orioles.
No offensive response in any capacity in our half of the 3rd and we turn to McFarland once more to at least ensure the bleeding doesn’t get much worse. 2-7 still going in to 4th.
Bleeding held off for at least one inning and it’s time to get cracking once more in the bottom of the 4th....or not. Yet another 1-2-3 inning. 2-7 yet again as we head in to the 5th.
Beer 3: Did We Just Become Best Friends? Double IPA by Hoof Hearted Brewing
McFarland gets his 6th K and continues to cruise after taking charge of the Kelly debacle. I’ll take it, but as a greedy fan and Brute Squad enforcer I want much more from this team. 2-7 entering the bottom of the 5th.
Still nothing doing in the 5th as a booth review helps confirm a double play. Whelp. This sucks.
Funny to see the bullpen holding up their end of the bargain while the bats remain silent. Though our fellow snek Jack has pointed out that our bats have actually been a curious problem of their own despite the positive run differential. Here’s hoping our bats prove Jack wrong in the 6th *raises glass to self*
Escobar leads off the 6th hustling to first on an infield single, but Walker continues the frustration with a ground out to a double play. Jones ends the inning with a ground out of his own and Bundy just continues to murder us (see what I did there?) 2-7 Orioles....still
Godley holds sway ones more in the 7th, so no new news there. Just gonna take a sip of my beer and act like I don’t care if the Dbacks score or not this inning. **sllluuuuuurrpp***
Nope, my attempt at reverse psychology is all for naught: still no dice. Still no hope. 2-7.....stiiillllllllllll
Beer 4: Public Access Emergency Broadcast Pale Ale by Dorchester Brewing Co
Picked this beer up at the bottle shop since I’ve never seen it before, not because it’d be oddly appropriate at the end of a game like this. Sigh. Still got two chances left, in the 8th and 9th, but this team is sure looking like a Sell team right now.
Really says something about a game when your ONLY runs are scored by your pitcher who has NEVER hit a ball until today. Just that kinda game.
Our bats keep that pathetic performance rolling in the 9th and we conclude an utterly forgettable game.
Sell. Sell. Sell!!!!!
Bells and whistles, by Jim
I’d like to thank Merrill Kelly for putting this one away early, and allowing us to finish off season 3 of Stranger Things tonight instead...
Click here for details, at Fangraphs.com
Eleven: Merrill Kelly (batting), +13.1%
The Mind-flayer: Merrill Kelly (pitching), -50.0%
Billy: Ketel Marte, -11.0%
About as happy a Gameday Thread as you would expect. Present were: AZPerson, BobDolio, DORRITO, GuruB, Jack Sommers, Jim McLennan, Makakilo, MesaDBacksFan, Michael McDermott, MrMrrbi, NikT77, Oldenschoole, Rockkstarr12, ShirtOffYourBack, Snake_Bitten, Sprankton, gamepass, onedotfive, ponus and rustynails77. Just the one Sedona Red comment, from NikT77:
Quick turnaround, with an afternoon game for the series finale tomorrow. If we don’t win that, I think Mike Hazen will be hanging out the sale signs, because losing a series at home to the worst team in the American League is not what contenders do. And the pitching match-up could hardly be less favorable, with Taylor Clarke going up against an All-Star in John Means. It could be the effective end of the 2019 season, folks. First pitch is 12:40 pm.