Kudos to Dusty Baker for using his best relief pitcher in the eighth inning. But, sadly, it did not work last night as the previously invincible Aroldis Chapman proved, um, vinceable, giving up a lead and paving the way for the Tigers 7-6 victory in Cincinnati last night.
The first two hitters reached against Logan Ondrusek in the eighth inning, so Dusty called on Chapman with nobody out. It went like so:
- Brendan Boesch singled to right;
- Matt Young was hit by a pitch, forcing in a run;
- Austin Jackson hit a ground rule double, scoring two more;
- Quintin Berry walked;
- Chapman threw a wild pitch and a fourth run scored.
Chapman settled down after that, retiring Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Delmon Young, but the lead and the game was gone by that point.
No one is perfect. And the fact that Dusty felt he had to go to Chapman in that situation probably speaks of his confidence in the rest of his pen every bit as much as it speaks to the coolness of using your best reliever in a tough spot. But no, it was not Chapman’s finest hour last night.
