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Posted 07/12/2008 at 11:37 PM
I can't remember a week in which so many games were decided in the 7th inning or later, with teams coming back from deficits to win, teams blowing big leads and holding on, and teams that rallied only to lose. Here's a review of what went on in a crazy week since Sunday June 6th:
Sunday
Texas led Baltimore, 6-5 going into the 8th inning, and held on 11-10 after a pair of homers in the 9th by the O's. Houston was in front of Atlanta, 6-3 headed to the bottom of the 7th, and lost to the Braves 7-6 in 17 innings. Minnesota trailed Cleveland, 3-1 going to the 7th, before scoring three times to beat the Tribe, 4-3. The Yankees were down 4-2 to the Red Sox, then scored twice in the 7th to tie it, and won it 5-4 in 10.
Monday
The Mets were destroying the Phillies, 10-2 after six innings, but Philadelphia got it to 10-9 with a runner in scoring position in the ninth, as the Mets held on 10-9.
Tuesday
Houston led Pittsburgh, 3-1 with six outs to go, but the Pirates rallied for three in the 8th to shock the Astros, 4-3. Baltimore was coasting by Toronto in the 7th, up 6-2 with two outs, but a three-run triple by Alex Rios helped spur a rally that tied the game at 6. The Blue Jays won it in the 9th, 7-6. The White Sox trailed the Royals, 5-3 in the 8th before plating two runs to tie it, then both teams each scored two in the 11th. Chicago would end it in the 13th with a run to win it, 6-5. The Twins were that close to getting a win at Fenway, up 5-2 going to the bottom of the 8th, but the Red Sox rallied for four and a 6-5 victory.
Wednesday
Toronto and Baltimore played another wild one, but this time it was the Jays blowing a big lead, up 8-1 in the 6th, before the O's scored six runs to cut it to 8-7, but eventually lost, 9-8. Cleveland's season turned from bad to worse after giving up a 6-0 lead at Detroit, capped off by Miguel Cabrera's walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth. Cabrera's homer wasn't the only walk-off of hump day, with AL MVP front-runner Josh Hamilton stunning Francisco Rodriguez with a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth, capping a Texas two-run rally with a 5-4 win over the Angels.
Thursday
The tables turned on the Tigers after Wednesday's comeback over the Indians, as Detroit squandered a 6-2 lead in a 7-6 loss in extra-innings to Minnesota. Toronto did it again to Baltimore, coming back from a 5-2 deficit in the 8th, scoring four runs in the final two innings to stun the Orioles, 6-5, and pull off the three-game sweep. The Angels looked to avenge Wednesday's loss to the Rangers, by jumping out to a 10-4 lead at Texas, but the Rangers chipped away and eventually tied the game at 10. The Angels staved off the Rangers with a two-out run in the top of the 11th to beat Texas, 11-10. Seattle blew a 2-0 lead in the 9th inning at Oakland, only to see the A's tie it, then win it in the 10th, 3-2. Arizona led Washington, 2-0 headed to the bottom of the 9th, then the craziness began. The Nationals scored two in the 9th, then the D-Backs put up three runs in the top of the 10th, only to be matched by Washington's three in the bottom of the frame. Arizona ended the madness with two runs in the 11th to win it, 7-5, killing under backers.
Friday
The Reds and Brewers had a comedy of errors in a game which Milwaukee led, 5-2 in the 7th. Some errors and wild pitches later, Cincinnati rallied for four runs and a 6-5 victory.
Saturday
This is the day when games went to hell in a hand basket, starting with the Giants and Cubs. Chicago was cruising in Rich Harden's debut, up 7-0 with six outs to go. San Francisco's struggling offense put up two in the 8th, then stormed back for five in the ninth to tie things up at 7. The Cubs eventually won it in the 11th, 8-7, but run-line backers left unhappy. A straight-up stunner happened in Pittsburgh, with the Cardinals giving away a 10-4 lead in the 8th, seeing the Pirates score six runs in the final two innings. The Cards tried to redeem themselves with a Troy Glaus homer in the top of the tenth, but Jose Bautista's walk-off homer in the bottom of the tenth was the difference as Pittsburgh shocked St. Louis, 11-10.
Comebacks happen everyday in baseball, but this was a rare week in which leads changed hands so many times late in games, making bettors sweat it out on a nightly basis. This blog was simply written to point out that games are never over, no matter the lead, and hopefully things even out for you in the long run when the team you are backing gives away a late lead and costs you money.
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