More runs today than the Browns had points, by the way. Giggidy!
Did you know we've only scored double digits in 6 other games this year? I was at 2 of those game, actually - ha! We've never scored 15 runs in a game this year and the last highest score we had was 13-7 against the ROYALS in APRIL. The Royals have been the loser in 3 of our 7 double-digit scoring wins. So I suppose you could say that today's score was pretty unexpected but if it was going to happen at all, it was going to happen against the Royals.
The last time we scored double digits was July 18.
Here's another interesting factoid, though - all the other teams we scored double digits against are all in the playoff hunt still (well, thanks to the new Wild Card rules). Reds (clinched), Angels, Rays and Orioles.
Enough with stats - on to the game!
David Huff is our newest starter, taking over for Jeanmar Gomez (thank God). Today was his second start and 4th appearance of the year. He did decently last time, but really had it going on today! He went 5 2/3 and only gave up 1 run and 3 hits. He only had 86 pitches so he could have gone more, but I think Manny Acta was just erring on the side of caution and playing the percentages. And also, as usual, is afraid that our starter could blow up at any moment as many of them have proven is possible.
In his post-game interview on WTAM, David Huff said something interesting. He said that Jack Hannahan basically told him to not fuck around on the mound and get in and out of innings quickly so that batters can keep up their momentum without spending too much time on the field. That's pretty interesting advice if that is what happened today - and not only did Huff's quickness on the mound help the bats but also helped his game as well.
After a walk and a single in the 6th, Huff was taken out for Rogers, who quickly got the last out. Then he gave up a double and a walk, then a run on a sac fly. Stupid Rogers.
But wait - here comes Tony Sipp! Two more runs scored. Tony Sipp, you absolutely break my heart.
Joe Smith came in to save Sipp's ass, then Vinnie Pestano did the final inning. With Tom Hamilton cackling about how Chris Perez is all but gone already. Noooooo! Stop it with your rational talk! Oh how I wish I had done something about the situation when I met Mark Shapiro the other day at batting practice...
Anyway, Pestano threw 11 pitches, 9 of them for strikes and struck out 2 to end the game. Gosh he is awesome!
Can you believe that with out 16 hits (and 8 walks) and 15 runs that today was not an "Everybody Hits!" game?! It's true. But not for lack of trying - our lone hitless Indian was Sweet Lou Marson - who walked THREE times and scored a run! Another tidbit is that almost everyone scored a run save for Casey Kotchman who had an RBI!
We had a good "classic" lineup today, that in fact was only 2 players different than the April lineup. Hafner and Duncan/Cunningham were in the original lineup and today they were replaced by Marson and Carrera.
Choo was the leadoff today and of course that was different in April but it worked out just fine today! He went 2 for 5 with an RBI, a run, a walk and a stolen base. So he was doing a little bit of everything - just like the Choo we love! He's got 6 hits in his last 4 games.
Kipnis had a great day too, playing a great 2-slot batter. He went 2 for 6 with a stolen base, an RBI and 3 runs scored! And his 4th triple of the year! He's got a 6-game hitting streak with 9 hits in those 6 game. Leave it to Jason Kipnis to finish out this year as strong as possible, right?
Asdrubal also in line with his two top-of-the-order buddies - he went 2 for 5 with a walk, scored 3 runs and got 2 RBI. He didn't even need any extra bases or steals to get all that - just solid hits with dudes on base.
Carlos Santana had a marquee day! After getting his multi-hit game yesterday with no RBI to show for it, today he went crazy on the RBIs and got himself FIVE RBI, courtesy of 2 home runs. He also had a RBI single, which was turned into a double on a throwing error. So, in his last 10 games, he's got 16 hits and 10 RBI! That is Kipnis-level performance right there! He also got his 18th homer today - I wonder if he'll make it to 20?
Did Michael Brantley get a hit today?
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| Three hits, baby. |
Casey Kotchman made good on his average today and went 1 for 6. Plus he threw in an RBI for you because he thought you'd like it.
The Wise Celtic Sage Jack Hannahan was all over it today going 2 for 3 with 2 walks. That gave him a chance to get one RBI and score one run. Erin go bragh!
Zeke almost was the lone guy who didn't do shit today, but in the 7th he got an RBI on a fielder's choice. then in the 9th he finally got his hit, and another RBI and he came around to score. Viva la Zeke!
As I said, Lou Marson was the only guy not to get a hit but he had some sort of laser vision at the plate as he walked 3 times and didn't strike out once. Being on base that much, he was even able to come around and score a run!
Our team hit .372 today. They still left 9 on base! LULZ!
So what do you think about the ability of our "classic" lineup that only included one rookie? (Zeke - who was here for a bit last year too) Do you think it was them who got the 15 runs, or the Royals pitching that gave up 15 runs or a solid combination of both? Or was it the Royals' defense - they do have the worst defense in the AL. Or was it David Huff's work of keeping the game going while only giving up three hits?
I think with 15 runs we can say that it must be a combination of all those things. We DO have a good lineup and they DO have the ability to hit. There's just some piece missing that's keeping them from putting together RBIs.
For now I'm just going to enjoy this harkening back to that good ol' day in April when we had just finished a sweep of the Royals and scored 32 runs in one weekend. We only scored 21 runs against them this weekend and only won one game but still - it was great fun!
Tomorrow we take on the White Sox, still in the Central time zone so at 8:10. It will be Zach McAllister versis LHP (2.82) and a team that is fighting hard to stay in first place. I think we're just going to have to sit back and be pleasantly surprised if these guys can bring their big bats across the state line in to Illinois.
I didn't do any Radio Chatter today. I had the game on in my ear while I was watching the Browns game, which is funny because it's not like I needed to pay attention to the Browns game audio to know what was going on. Then after the Browns game was over I was sitting there all pissed that I didn't write anything down and also I didn't get to see this game on television. Frustration!
Anyway, 8:10 tomorrow - see you there!
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