Progressive Game Blog – Third Inning

The United Cardinal Bloggers are conducting their third annual Progressive Game Blog, where various Cardinal bloggers will cover an individual inning.  All the linked articles can be found here.  We present the third inning below.  Pip handled the second, and Nick will cover the fourth.

So Adam Ottavino gave up a one out triple to Mike Fontenot, then stranded him at third.  A good omen.  Let’s see if the Cardinals can keep that momentum going.

Skip Schumaker leads off the inning, coming of an ‘o-fer’ yesterday.  Carlos Silva, banished from Seattle for sucking but experiencing a renaissance on the shores of Lake Michigan, gets ahead 1-2, then wastes a pitch inside.  Schu fouls two off, but strikes out on a biting slider down-and-in to the left-handed hitter.

Adam Ottavino strides to the plate for his first major league at-bat.  Silva is not kind, living off the outside corner.  It is a good strategy against the pitcher; many everyday players have trouble handling pitches in that spot.  The kid is swings at the first two, then takes two (hey if you can’t hit it, why swing at it?), then looks at strike 3 called on the same corner.  Two out.

Back to the top of the order and Felipe Lopez, who grounded out to start the game.  Lopez takes ball one, then swings over a pitch, takes a strike on the black, and looks at strike 3 over same outside corner as Ottavino.  End of the inning.

Sixteen pitches for Silva, and not much action.  The most exciting part of the half inning was Tony LaRussa’s taped interview, where he praised Ottavino (he’s got a lot of talent), explained why he brought the infield in in the bottom of the second (Silva looks tough, not going to give up a lot of runs), and tried to allay fears about the Cardinal offense (we’ve got a good team, we’ll be OK).

In the bottom of the frame, Ottavino starts the action by striking out Silva on 4 pitches.  Right back at you, big fella.  Things get a bit more interesting as Adam issues a 5-pitch walk to Kosuke Fukudome.  Ryan Theriot looks at strike one, and continues to watch as Yadier Molina throws out Fukudome trying to steal (CS 2-4 if you’re scoring at home).  This leads to a discussion in the booth on why Fukudome was out by so much, with Tim McCarver concluding it’s a busted hit and run.

Of the myriad replays Fox presents on the play, they don’t include one of Fukudome leaving first.  A long time ago, I was told if the baserunner never looks home while trying to steal second, it’s a straight steal; but if he sneaks a peak on his way up the line, it’s a hit and run.  Sadly we aren’t privy to the critical piece of video, so we at home can’t draw a conclusion.

It doesn’t really matter; Fukudome is out, and there are two away.  Theriot gets the count to 3-1, then takes two called strikes to end his at bat and the inning.

Silva indeed looks tough, as the Cardinals have one hit through three and have struck out seven times.  Ottavin0 has surrendered two walks and a triple, but has emerged unscathed.  Perhaps they’ll find their hitting shoes in the fourth.  Yes or no, Nick will bring the action to you.

Thanks for reading!