Yes indeed they are playing and hold a 4-1 lead in the 8th. Unless we see another Royal rally we should win this one. Bauer with 13 K in 6 2/3 innings, Goody registered the next 4 outs. His ERA is less than 1/2 of his 7.77 in Columbus.

It looks like it's all over for Bobby Bradley, hitless the last two games he's now batting 154. It was fun while it lasted.

Hand has pitched a lot lately and looked as if he needed a break last night, so they're bringing Wittgren in to finish this one off.

5-1 Top of 9

He quickly strikes out Soler to get it started.

1 away.

Uh oh, Duda knocks one out. 5-2

Now Arteaga slaps one down the line for a double.

Not again. Last night was already a kick to the balls.

Oliver Perez warming up

Gordon steps in

Wittgren gets ahead, 1-2.

Gordon hits one to LC for an RBI single.

5-3 now.

Still 1 away.

My groin is already starting to ache again.

What is it about these bums? We have the hardest time with this crap team.

Billy Hamilton steps in.

Hitting 222. Let's see how he can crush our dreams.

Quickly falls behind 0-2.

Boom, strikes him out looking!

2 outs, and The Final Countdown starts blaring over the PA system.

Ah hell, Merrifield steps in.

This sumbitch hits like Tris Speaker against us.

Ball 1

Gordon takes 2nd base cause nobody cares.

Swing and miss, 1-1

Breaking ball, fouled back. 1-2

Another breaking ball swung and missed!! K's the side!

We win!

We rule!!

We may never lose again!!!

Fortunately we have not had too many nervous ninths. Hope Hand gets a bit over the weekend. Some blowouts would make that possible.
Wittgren has been looking much more like his career self lately, 5 runs in 6 innings over his last 5 outings.

[Trying to prove that we should deal for Givens?]

Bauers' homer was his 10th?! I guess I hadn't been counting.

For me there's no doubt that you can see Bauers' promise. Remains to be seen if it takes the next step but it has potential.

Bauers Mercado Naquin Luplow is not a bad collection. Johnson should add to that mix next year with Bauers eventually at 1st base with Bradley mostly DH and Carlos leaving us again, although I like him.

I believe there is another year on Santana's contract?

Either way, I don't think he leaves again.

Who is this Chang guy?

Kudos to Plutko for tossing 90+ pitches and taking the hit for the staff in this fiasco 13-0 loss.