Confusion causes havoc, Cardinals send Marc Rzepczynski against Mike Napoli
The Texas Rangers managed a stellar victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the World Series at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on Thursday, October 24. Now with a victory in hand, the Texans are a game victory away from a Series title clinch.
However things could have gone very differently if the Cards got their bullpen rotation sorted out in the eighth inning of the encounter. They could have avoided a 4 – 2 defeat.
With the Rangers filling up the slots on the diamond with a bases loaded advantage, the Cards greeted Mike Napoli on to the plate. St. Louis Manager Tony La Russa called for Jason Motte to come out but Lance Lynn stood up for the task instead. Judging by
the reliever’s work load, the manager left Marc Rzepczynski on the mound to pitch to the Texas hitter.
The left hander had a daunting task at hand and it made little sense as Napoli was .319 against left hand pitchers in the regular season. With a slugging percentage of .619 against the lefties, Rzepczynski was bound to get into a tough competition.
"I didn't see anybody warming up in the bullpen, so I figured I was going to face him," Napoli said.
Rzepczynski allowed a double to the Texas catcher and that converted the play for two runs as Michael Young and Nelson Cruz ran home to turn the score 4 – 2. La Russa explained the confusion in the bullpen, later on, after the game.
"What happened was that twice the bullpen didn't hear Motte's name," La Russa said. "They heard Rzepczynski, and they didn't get Motte."
Napoli fouled the first pitch but connected well at 1 – 1 count. The shot landed in the right field and it converted the effort for two runs.
"I went back at him for one more," Rzepczynski said. "If I bury it down and in, maybe it's on the ground and it's a double play, and maybe we're still playing. Tony has faith in me to get our righties. I've gotten out Napoli before. But when you hang a slider,
any hitter, period, is going to be able to hit it."
With the Rangers a game away from a Series win, the Cards will have to think how badly the confusion could cost them the World Series title?
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