I’ll let J.P. keep his job if the Jays beat Garza … fair enough? (sly wink)
- John Brattain, 1:03 PM Sunday
Done!
Matt Garza accepted the defeat with more equanimity than I would have - he noted that he'd beat Purcey 1-0 just a couple of weeks ago. Blue Jays fans are all aware of how brilliantly Garza has pitched against Toronto - in five starts, he's allowed just two runs in 38 IP. What is really remarkable is that he's managed to take the loss in two of those games - he actually needs to pitch a shutout to beat the Blue Jays.
Defensive play of the game - I thought it was Barajas handling a pitch in the dirt, noticing Willy Aybar had strayed just a step too far off first base, and gunning a bullet to Overbay to erase the runner. Jason Bartlett followed with a double deep to the outfield that likely would have tied the game.
Elsewhere - Carlos Delgado, who was being written off just a couple of months ago, has started to insert himself into the MVP discussion in the other league. The Mets wrapped up their showdown with the Phillies yesterday. Delagdo delivered a two-run single in the first to put his squad up 3-1, and followed up with a pair of long solo homers off Cole Hamels. A huge win for the Mets - after Jamie Moyer beat Pedro Martinez in the first gane of the double-header, the Phils had a chance to pull into a tie for first place. The Mets lead remains at two games, and Delgado is now up to 100 RBIs. I don't think he's going to be available this off-season.
The Dodgers finished off their sweep of the D'Backs with a 5-3 win. After pummelling Brandon Webb senseless on Saturday, Manny Ramirez had a quiet Sunday - he went 2-3 with a walk and scored a run. A quiet day for Manny, who is hitting .410 as a Dodger. It was the other old Bostonian - Nomar Garciaparra - who drove in the go-ahead run with a sac fly and made a game saving defensive play with two men on the ninth.
Nomar! He's still active!
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20080907232119907