Pick it apart if you want, I wasn't a fan of it, but it worked. The guy was 24/27 in save situations this season.

And promptly gave up a leadoff double in this appearance, only saved by the next batter's inability to move the runner over. He was lucky he didn't blow this game, too.

Braves are lucky we are shit at moving runners over as well I guess.

Six earned runs in three post season games and a 20-something ERA.

Putting him back in last night was like throwing a lit match in a pool of gasoline only to have the wind extinguish the flame.

The craziest part of it to me was Acuna was the first batter.

To be fair, that double was a double because we had Lonnie "skates" Smith JR. in left field. That was a basically a pop up, just some bad luck. He made his pitches after that pretty well. I wasn't a fan of the move, but it took some guts and if we are going to win anymore games it was probably a move he had to make.

I don't get the Shildt hate...he doesn't make the roster, he can only use who they give him. He won 91 games with a roster that should have finished 3rd or 4th.

Yup. Almost historically bad from 3rd.

yeah, I don’t get the Schildt hate. We bitched a lot in here about Larussa’s Management choices. Bullpen choices, stick with “my guy” approach. And he’s a Hall if Famer. Schildt is in his first full season. Turned around the embrassing defense and base running. Got them 1 game from the NLCS without even playing our best baseball.

Not his fault Mo gave out all those shit contracts. He has to coach with what’s he’s given. The bottom line is this team has went further this year than anyone who posts in here thought possible with this roster.

Pham goes deep again...this time against Verlander.

Sure glad we dumped that cheap contract.

Verlander has given up 4 runs in 3 innings.

The Astros, of all teams, going to a pitcher on short rest absolutely boggles the mind.

They understand analytics so well they did not intentionally walk a single batter this year.

Who else were they going to put out there? Wade Miley got smoked in relief and for the 2nd half of the season batters are hitting damn near .300 off him. His Cinderella story has ended.

Believe it sets them up for Cole on normal rest for the clincher and Verlander on normal rest for game 2 of the ALCS, though.

So they get Verlander for game 2, Cole for Game 3, etc.

Would be interesting to see if that was the reasoning ... or what it was.

again reinforcing the narrative that the top shelf pitchers are more often than not pedestrian with 3 days rest in the playoffs.

My son owns a business one street over from the stadium. They could hear the roar of the crowd through the dome. No one could ever remember hearing anything from a Rays game there. Concerts, events etc. yes, Rays game? Never until tonight.