Diamond Chess

Many casual baseball fans don’t enjoy a low scoring game. That’s fine. Go watch football then. It’s not all about the runners crossing the plate all the time. Sometimes it’s about the maneuvering, the game saving plays, the decisions that are made or not made that keep the runs from scoring. It’s like a game of chess on a baseball diamond.

Cards vs Phillies tonight.
Adam Wainwright and Cole Hamels locked in a pitchers duel.
Zeroes after zeroes pile up on the scoreboard.
Big strikeout after big strikeout.
Both teams scratch and scrape to get runners in scoring position.
Both pitchers work out of the jams.

In the top of the 5th, Ryan Ludwick works a two out walk to load the bases for Albert Pujols. El Hombre is the king of bases loaded situations, but this time he pops out.
In the 6th, David Freese makes an error, and one out later Placido Polanco is standing on third for the Phillies. But Ryan Howard grounds out sharply to Pujols, who holds the runner at third. Then Jason Werth grounds out to end the jam.
Hamels once again steamrolls through the Cardinals in the 7th.

Now the Phillies 7th. Raul Ibanez triples to lead off the Phillies half of the inning. Still nothing-nothing on the scoreboard. A run here could mean the end. One out later, the 8th place hitter Carlos Ruiz comes up. If Tony LaRussa decides to walk him intentionally to bring up Hamels, Phillies manager Charlie Manuel could counter with a pinch hitter. That would get Hamels out of the game and allow the Cardinals to face the suspect Phillies bullpen. And perhaps Waino could get a double play to end the inning. Instead LaRussa lets Wainwright pitch to Ruiz, who hits a sacrifice fly. 1-0 Phillies. Advantage Philadelphia. Check.

Both pitchers cruise through the eighth, setting up the key ninth inning. Manual stays with Hamel, since he doesn’t trust his own bullpen. David Freese once again comes through and rips a double to the wall. Then Yadier Molina slashed another double down the right field line against the tiring Hamels. 1-1 score. Advantage St. Louis. Check.

Now the management maneuvering really kicks in.
Hamels out, Brad Lidge in to pitch for Philadelphia.
Joe Mather out, Skip Schumaker into pinch hit. His job is to move Molina to third, somehow,
some way. Skippy successfully pulls the ball to Howard, successfully moving the runner. Now Rasmus pinch hits for Wainwright. Manuel will have none of that. He orders Lidge to walk him. First and Third with one out. LaRussa is hoping for a sacrifice fly or a hit. Manuel hopes for a strikeout or a double play. Palms are sweating. Fingernails are chewed.

Now Brendan Ryan is due up against the hard throwing Lidge. He needs to make contact one way or the other. Or will LaRussa pinch hit again? He stays with Ryan. Perhaps the squeeze play? Instead, Ryan swings away. Once, twice, three times. Two outs, Ryan looked bad.

Now, one more maneuver. LaRussa pinch hits left-handed rookie Jon Jay to face the righty Lidge. He hits one deep into right field, but it fades at the wall into Shane Victorino’s glove. Still tied. Advantage Philadelphia. Check, once again. Moving in for the kill.

Bottom of the ninth, the chess game continues.
Dennys (like the restaurant) Reyes the lefty comes in to face slugger Howard. And he promptly walks him on four pitches. Sigh. Blake Hawksworth comes in, throws a couple more errant balls to Werth, then proceeds to get three quick outs.

Extra Innings. 1-1 game. No stress here.

Hard throwing Jose Contreras into the game. Ludwick strikes out, but Pujols rips a high fastball to the wall for a double. But Holliday whiffs and Freese pops out.
And finally, the bottom of the 10th. Carlos Ruiz leads off against Hawksworth and rips a foul down the left field line. Almost a home run, just foul. Three pitches later, Ruiz straightens one out and rips the walk-off home run to left center.

Checkmate. 2-1 Phillies. Low score. High value. Great game. Again.