BASEBALL

5-4. Cleveland always puts on a good Kid’s Fun Day. Radio Disney is there. There is free poster making materials. The mascots from their minor league system come. The Akron team was giving away ear flap caps. The kids get to make baseball cards of themselves. The owner of a petting zoo brings snakes the children may handle.

My youngest daughter was getting a hard time from Skipper until she drew Paws’ claw shredding Skipper. (Skipper is a green something.)

It was fun. Then the baseball started. Coke pitched OK allowing two runs over six innings. The Tigers scored two in the first. In the second Santiago grounded into a double play with the bases loaded. This was crucial given the final score.

The Tigers took a 3-2 lead in the eighth off an Avila sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the eighth the Tigers set-up man Benoit allowed 3 runs. This would lead to his second loss in three nights.

In the top of the ninth the top of the Tigers order batted second, third and fourth. Unfortunately this was Rhymes, Santiago and Kelly. (This us why line up order matters somewhat- the guys who bat first get extra chances sometimes.)

Jackson led off and reached. Rhymes hit it as hard as he could. This led to a routine fly out to center. I’m not sure why Leyland did not pinch hit. Santiago walked. Kelly softly lined out to short. This got it to Cabrera who delivered. But, it was only a single. Boesch flew out to end the game. The Tigers lost 5-4 with the tying run on third.

I’d like to see better line up construction or some pinch hitting.