Shox vs. DBU Patriots Game 2

[shox1989]

I will add that I believe DBU brought their closer in to pitch the bottom of the ninth. I believe he is suppose to be very very good. We got 3 big hits off of him.

[shocker3]

Another very good win. I really like the way everyone competed at the plate. Every starter ended up getting at least one hit. Kris Gardner pitched a great game against a very good hitting team. TJ also pitched well in relief. We made no errors and some very good defensive plays.

[ShockerFever]

I'm absolutely stunned. I was ready for the long, drug-out post about more interesting, mind-boggling ways to lose games. I have a feeling DBU will be out for blood tomorrow and if Mormann is the one going up there, get ready for some D-League softball numbers by the Patriots.

I see the posting rampage has begun. This should lock up our national seed.

[shocker3]

Who had the biggest hit in the 9th? I have to go with Mikel Mucha down 0-2 worked the count full while fouling of a couple pitches then getting a single to start the 9th. Oh and he was pinch hitting. But there were some big hits. Your thoughts.

I would say that Mucha's hit was the most important. First it put the lead runner on base with no outs, second he battled back from an 0-2 count to get a big hit, and third I think it was important to prove that we could get a hit off their excellent closer.

Their closer came into the game with a .96 ERA, he had only given up 3 runs all year (and we managed to get 2 runs in a third of an inning) and he had only given up 15 hits all year (and we managed 3 hits in 4 at bats against him).

All 3 hits were important and I can't say enough about how impressed I was that we were able to get 3 hits and score 2 runs against this guy.

It was an excellent half inning of baseball!

[WSUwatcher]

It's not always about the innings. He just doesn't look as sharp as he did earlier in the season. I know that is going to happen at times, but he's been struggling for awhile now. He's just not the same guy anymore.

I agree, trip, and I don't pretend to know why -- arm slot, tiredness, whatever (I personally would like to see Elam be used as a ninth-inning guy only, because it strikes me, although I admittedly haven't tried to compile the numbers, that hitters start figuring him out after five or six have seen him, which can happen with a pitcher who's asked to get two-inning saves). In any event, he's gone from Nails to Full Pack, and now may be moving to whatever the next phase is. And that's the last thing the Shocks need at a time when their young guys seem to be maturing, causing the offense to start coming around and their starting pitching maybe -- we'll see -- to stabilize at last.

Let's hope he can get it straightened out soon, because the Shocks won't be successful unless someone can close effectively on a consistent basis.

[shocker3]

Amazing effort in the bottom of the 9th!!!

I actually think winning it the way we did was better than if we had just shut them down in the top of the 9th and had won 6-3. Our team battled back against their almost unhittable closer to score 2 runs and win the game. You couldn't have asked for any better ending.

[shox1989]

I agree, trip, and I don't pretend to know why -- arm slot, tiredness, whatever (I personally would like to see Elam be used as a ninth-inning guy only, because it strikes me, although I admittedly haven't tried to compile the numbers, that hitters start figuring him out after five or six have seen him, which can happen with a pitcher who's asked to get two-inning saves). In any event, he's gone from Nails to Full Pack, and now may be moving to whatever the next phase is. And that's the last thing the Shocks need at a time when their young guys seem to be maturing, causing the offense to start coming around and their starting pitching maybe -- we'll see -- to stabilize at last.

Let's hope he can get it straightened out soon, because the Shocks won't be successful unless someone can close effectively on a consistent basis.

Personally I believe that closers should be basically one inning guys and I think it would be better to have Elam pitch just one inning. Having said that though, Elam has proven many times in the last 2 years that he is more than capable of going 2 or 3 innings, including Tuesday night at Manhattan when he pitched 3 hitless innings.

[shox1989]

I actually think winning it they way we did was better than if we had just shut them down in the top of the 9th and had won 6-3. The team battled back against their almost unhittable closer to score 2 runs and win the game. You couldn't have asked for any better ending.

It was certainly exciting to win that way, but for me it was a little too exciting. I am kind of into boring wins these days, like Friday's 13-3 win.

[shock10]

The first two hitters of the game WALKED and scored. In the ninth Harbutz WALKED and scored the winning run. WALKS are a run just waiting to happen. I get wiggly when the Shocker pitchers WALK a hitter.

[JJClamdip]

I see the posting rampage has begun. This should lock up our national seed.

We are a lock for a regional host at this time.