Hi all. Here’s how I see baseball on this Sunday, August 26. The Dodgers’ 5–4 win in a dozen innings over the Padres last night was even more unusual than your average late-night extra-inning win.
I didn’t understand exactly what “Players’ Weekend” in MLB has been about. My takeaway so far is, it’s a weekend where players reveal to the world what their club nicknames are, as opposed to whatever nicknames the media have given them. Anybody named Miguel-friend or foe-gets nicknamed “Miggy” by John Sterling of the Yankees. The Yankees’ backup catcher Kyle Higashioka is known as “Higgy” and why not-it’s a ton easier to say than his last name. I know that the guys who ride the buses in the minors and the few who ride the planes in the bigs have nicknames that are normally kept away from the masses to make the team bond more closely. On this weekend they’re being worn on the players’ uniforms (or “unies.” In at least one broadcast booth the announcers have joined in the fun. The Brewers’ Bob Uecker wore a shirt that said “Harry Doyle”(his name in the “Major League” movies) on Friday night during their 15-inning epic poem against the Pirates. So, for this one column, I’ll share a nickname I had in junior high school which didn’t last. I sort of wish it had. “Hawkeye” presents this column for your reading pleasure.
An extra-inning game played in Los Angeles involving the Dodgers is usually a fair candidate for this forum. Then add in a lengthy power failure in the 12th inning and you have an irresistible item-like my former long-time girlfriend after a couple of daiquiris. I know I’m not the only blind person who takes pleasure in watching what happens to sighted people when the lights give out.
I won’t tell you how I toyed with my ex-wife the night we had a power failure at a motel during a road trip. Last night’s 19-minute power failure was the second time the lights have gone out at Dodger Stadium this season. The Dodgers and Padres had been tied since a 9th-inning home run off Dodgers’ closer Kenley Jansen. When the power came back, it looked like 3 Padres’ fielders were still in the dark. Pitcher Robert Stock threw his first pitch after the blackout. Justin Turner hit a blooper that any of 3 Padres should have caught. Runner Matt Kemp held up on second base assuming somebody_ was going to catch the ball and only started running when it became clear that the 3 Stooges were wearing San Diego uniforms and none of them intended to field the ball and keep him at third.
Earlier on there was power to spare. Manny Machado launched a 3-run home run and Max Muncy hit a solo job. Both now have 30 home runs. For Muncy it’s his first time to reach 30 while Machado’s Machete has now carried him to 30 or more home runs 4 years in a row. Muncy’s shot came after Clayton Kershaw singled and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. In spite of this, Kershaw lasted 8 innings. However, Austin Hedges tied it with a 9th-inning home run off Jansen. That’s 3 outings in a row where Kenley has served up at least one home run. In one of those outings the Cardinals touched him for two long balls. After 3 scoreless innings, Matt Kemp walked in the last of the 12th and was bunted over to second by Enrique Hernandez. That’s when the lights failed.
The Dodgers’ defense nearly performed its own epic fail in the 8th with a 4-2 lead. The Padres’ Freddy Galvis singled with one out. Wil Myers bounced one towards a charging Machado whose machete is what made him famous, not his throwing arm. He air-mailed a simple throw into right field. The Keystone Cops’ show continued when Yasiel Puig in right threw wide to third. Galvis might have scored then and there if Clayton Kershaw hadn’t kept his head while all around him were losing theirs. Kershaw went as far as to say that Puig throws wildly on occasion and the pitcher needs to be prepared for that which Kershaw was. Galvis scored when Eric Hosmer grounded to second. Myers should have scored on the next play, but for the worst sort of baseball luck. Hunter Renfro hit a liner toward center-but it hit runner Myers. A runner is out when he’s hit by a ball in play, and Myers was out.