The Buffalo66 Challenge Contest #9: Bad Beat

I caught some run bad in the challenge tonight.

Blinders won contest #9, 45-39. Results are here.

We had similar rosters, matching our pitchers and 3 hitters. This made the game 5-on-5 hitters.

Usually, I like this matchup because I think I'm better at depth.

I jumped out to an early lead with 4 strikeouts on his side.

Toronto fell behind 8-1 but the game didn't go to "scrub mode" (where the starters get pulled).

Then Jose Bautista hit a 2 run HR, putting me behind. Brad Davis retaliated with a solo shot, giving me a 3 point cushion.

After Bautista's 1st HR he came up again in the 7th, 2 outs, runner on 2nd, 1st base open. Tampa led 8-6.

99% of the world's population are intentionally walking Bautista in that situation. Instead, Tampa brings in a RH setup man and pitches to the league's best power hitter.

Yep, another 2 run HR.

So I fall behind by 5-6 points the rest of the way. The Reds choked in the 9th, giving Blinders some extra AB's for his two Pirates.

After extras I fall 6 behind. That 6 points is the difference between winning and tying - if only Bautista had been walked.

While I view this as a bad beat, it all evens out in the long run. I should NOT have won contest #6, but I did because of some garbage time HR's.

So I have lost 3 in a row. The challenge sits at 5-4 in my favor, with the next contest Sunday.