Before I get to writing, I just wanted to point out what I just read on the wrap up of the game. According to MLB.com's reporter "Brian Anderson ripped a go-ahead two-run single in the top of the ninth inning as Charlotte rallied past Syracuse, 4-3, on Thursday." Nice to see their writers don't pay attention, as that rip went a whole 15 feet. Good job MLB.com and MILB.com, proving to be as valuable as suntan lotion in a Syracuse winter.
Anyways, as anyone who reads may have noticed, on games like Thursday's game, I just tend to stay away from writing a wrap up, review, commentary, or whatever because I really don't care to think about the game that was blown. Great game for 8 innings, Jesse Litsch pitched another great game. Not sure about pitch counts Toronto has on him, but if there isn't one, there was no way he should have been pulled. He wasn't laboring and looked great still, but as the old adage goes hindsight is 20/20.
Chiefs pulled out the stunts, finally, in the 6th, as they scored three runs, including 2 on a squeeze play (I've been calling for it all year with the way these teams shift against Syracuse). The play set up as Ray Olmedo at bat, with Jeff Duncan on third and Sal Fasano on second. Knights pitcher Lance Broadway threw the ball, pulling first baseman Ernie Young off the bag. Young, however, must have forgotten about Fasano on base, as Fasano keeps running around third and beats the throw home. This came after Fasano opened up the scoring, driving Chad Mottola home. That was, however, the only inning the Chiefs would score.
Charlotte comes back with one run in the 7th, off a Wiki Gonzalez 2 out single. Then, the nightmare ninth came. Coach Doug Davis decides to go to the bullpen to bring lefty Mike Venafro in to face left handed hitter Ryan Sweeney. Sweeney, however, takes the first pitch and bunts to reach base. Out comes Davis again, this time bringing in Blaine Neal. To put it simply, Neal got hammered. He struck out Ernie Young on a very questionable strike three call (one of a whole lot of questionable strike zone calls by Josh Carlisle for both teams). That's when the Chiefs' train derails. Three straight singles load the bases and scores Sweeney. Next batter was Brian Anderson. Neal gets him to a 1-2 count and gets Anderson to hit a very weak ball. The problem was, it was so weak, no fielder could get to it. There was no chance at a play, however third baseman Ryan Roberts still takes the ball and launches it towards first. It ends up going far past first baseman Kevin Barker and the go ahead run scores.
The Chiefs has a chance in the bottom of the ninth. With one out, Barker ripped a ball into right-center. However, on a very questionable decision, he tries to go to second on the play and is throw out by a full three steps. I am unsure who sent him, or if it was a self-made decision, but needless to say it was a pretty poor decision either way. John-Ford Griffin walked with two outs, however Chad Mottola struck out to end the game.
Simply put, this one hurts. The Chiefs drop to 8.5 behind Buffalo, and even in June, hopes of the playoffs are starting to fade. Friday ends the homestand, and the Chiefs won't be back until after the all star break. Enjoy the fireworks and hopefully tonight will have a better ending
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