Corey Patterson’s bunt puts Texas Rangers away as Toronto Blue Jays win bout, 5-2
Things looked even for both the Texas Rangers and the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the ninth of their last bout on April 28, 2011. The two clubs played their final game of the series at the Rangers Ballpark and they were both on a run for a winner.
Unfortunately for the hosts, a Corey Patterson bunt is all it took to separate the two sides in the last inning.
Blue Jays were able to steal the game away in the ninth and Patterson’s bunt led the charge as John McDonald ran in for the tie breaker. Darren Oliver was stepping in for Neftali Feliz to close for the Rangers.
The 40-year old veteran was already victorious in his previous encounter with Toronto. It looked as if the game would go well but when McDonald and Yunel Escobar reached the first two bases on one-out singles, things got messy.
Patterson walked in and placed his bunt on the right angle as he drove a run on a RBI single.
"It was a good bunt", Oliver said. "I got to it, but what do you do? It was in no man's land."
For the Blue Jays, the aim was nothing more than getting the job done and getting a good run.
"I happened to end up getting a hit out of it, too", Patterson said. "The main objective was to score the run and go ahead".
Things went bad after that as Juan Rivera’s grounder to third found Adrian Beltre’s boot. Escobar scored off the error and when Jose Bautista was caught running, Oliver miscued his throw to second base and allowed Patterson a much awaited run.
"They get two not-so-well hit balls to fall, and then the surest hands we've got [Beltre] boots a ball", Washington said. "Then we had an opportunity to get out of the inning and we throw the ball away. It happens".
For the Blue Jays, this meant nothing but a series win. After putting the Rangers through a hard run for the win, they successfully beat a club that dominated the league, last season.
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