Originally Posted August 2015
Here’s the scene…. It’s 12:45 AM ET…. Blondie long gone to bed…. Just me and my non-buffering Apple.tv watching the Cardinals vs The DiamondBacks on MLB.tv from Chase Field in Phoenix. The charging Pirates have already won so Cards MUST win to maintain breathing room in NL Central…. Cards have NEVER swept a series vs DBacks in Phoenix. NEVER EVER….
8th Inning: Cards up 5-3 on HRs by back-up catcher Tony Cruz (giving “Yadi” a much-deserved one-game rest) and by newly-acquired journeyman Brendon Moss. Moss was acquired a month ago to add power to an injury- depleted bench but has “struggled” at the plate….. (actually he HAS SUXed with ba well below Mendoza Line.)
So Cruz and Moss have “gone yard” and with but 6 outs to go ….. looking good w/ “The Birds” up by 2. Mathey brings in middle-reliever submariner Steve Cishek to hold’em in the 8th with Trevor The Closer waiting in the 9th.
Cishek (who had only walked one batter in his last 71/3 innings) throws sixteen pitches…. twelve of which aren’t even close. Walk – Walk – Walk !!
… suddenly Bases Loaded with D-backs. No Outs. Single ties the game or worse. Calamity looming as Manager Mike walks to the mound, takes the ball from the shell-shocked distraught Cishek…. and signals for:
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#61 – Seth Maness – the 26 y/o “crafty little right-hander” from Southern Pines’ Pinecrest HS via East Carolina. A true “Moochie”.
Have I mentioned that due up is “the heart of the D-backs batting order” their 4-5-6 hitters?
Oh Me, Oh My…. I’m thinking it’s a good thing Blondie or her mom Nancy aren’t watching this. Neither Blondie nor Nancy handle “Cardinals in a nail-biter” situations very well.
I don’t know what young Seth said to his manager as he took the ball in this most dire of predicaments. I figure it was along the lines of…..
“Don’t worry Skipper. I got this.”
Seth Maness is NOT a fireballing flame-thrower. He is a sinkerballer who induces groundballs.
First Dback.… five pitches and a swinging 3rd strike – One Out ……
Next DBack …. five pitches with #5 a sinker at the knees – Two Outs ….
Third DBack ….. still bases loaded and a base hit away from Doom. Four pitches and a weak grounder to first baseman Reynolds w/ Seth covering first – THREE OUTS. OMG!!
Cards’ bench erupts / Cards’ announcers going NUTZ…. SETH! SETH! SETH!
Trevor The Closer comes in in 9th and saves his 41st of season.
CARDS WIN ….. CARDS WIN ….. CARDS WIN ….. Take THAT Pirates!
Oh, somewhere in this favoured land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout,
And there IS joy in St Louis / Southern Pines / Greenville ‘cause their Seth Maness’ shut’em out…..
Seth Maness …. “Living The Dream”
And THAT is why I Love Baseball.
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