How to Blow A Game, by the Cincinnati Redlegs

This deserved it's own post. Jay, owner and operator of the Potomac Rage, pointed me to this box score on his teams miraculous comeback against the Cincinnati Redlegs.

Down 8-0 (!) and getting 4-hit heading into the 8th inning, the Redlegs simply imploded:

8th Inning
Pitching well through 7, starter Cy Blanton hits a wall. He battled lead off hitter Joe Morgan, going to a 1-2 count before coughing up a seeing eye single to left field. Then - on just 4 pitches - 3 singles were sprayed into the outfield by the next three batters, Duke Snider, Mel Ott, and Jimmie Foxx. 2-runs scored and the outcome was still in little doubt, with an 8-2 Redleg lead.

That was all for Blanton, and Nick Maddox (3.97 ERA) came in to relieve him. Maddox struck out catcher Javy Lopez swinging, only to surrender a 3-run bomb to Charlie Keller, a monstrous shot for "Kong" down the right field line.

Maddox was done, and the lead cut to three.

It was Roberto Hernandez's turn, and he chose the 'bend and not break' strategy. He induced Jose Canseco to ground out to 1st for the second out, but gave up back to back singles to Derek Jeter and pinch hitter Chick Hafey, putting runners on the corners. In a curious move, Ryan Braun came in to pinch hit for lead off batter Joe Morgan, but lifted a lazy fly ball to center to end the inning. Plenty of damage was done however, and the game headed to the 9th at 8-5.

9th Inning
Hernandez, despite his struggles, came back out to start the 9th. It seemed like a masterful choice as he retired the first two batters on an easy ground out and short outfield pop-up.

But tt was not to be.

Normally a slick fielding third basemen, Al Rosen booted the third out to keep the Rage hopes alive, with the e-5 putting "Double X" on first. Pinch hitters Charles Johnson and Hanley Ramirez both proceeded hit ground ball singles to left field, both between the shortstop and soon to be goat, Rosen.

With bases loaded and 2-outs, after yielding 4 hits in his last inning of work, Hernandez next walked home a run on 4 pitches. 8-6.

So, what do the Redlegs do next? Keep Hernandez in the game, of course. "Ball 8" and the next run comes in, 8-7.

Finally, Hernandez was yanked in favor of Joakim Soria, but left those inherited runners on each and every base. Soria battled, ran the count to deuces wild - 2 out, 2 balls, 2 strikes - but Hafey again left his mark on the game, and won it with a walk off 2- run single.

To recap the disaster:

8th Inning
-Single
-Single
-Single
-Single
-Starter Yanked
-Strikeout
-Three Run Home Run (8-5)
-Reliever Yanked
-Single
-Single
-Out

9th Inning
-Out
-Out
-E-5
-Single
-Single
-Walk in run #6
-Walk in run #7
- pull the pitcher
- 2-run walk off single

Ouch.