Tuesday’s Hot Clicks: Phillies Affiliate Gets No Hits or Walks, Still Wins
The new rule is working like it’s supposed to
They say you see something new every time you go to the ballpark and that was certainly true for the 750 people who showed up at George Steinbrenner Field in Tampa last night.
Yankees prospect Deivi Garcia was absolutely dealing for the Tampa Tarpons, throwing seven perfect innings with 12 strikeouts on only 82 pitches. His Clearwater Threshers counterpart McKenzie Mills was also dominant, allowing just three hits and striking out four over seven scoreless innings. The game was only scheduled to last seven innings (which is what minor league teams do during doubleheaders), so extra innings rules were in effect when the game went to the eighth.
In the minors, each extra inning starts with a runner (the man who made the last out of the previous inning) on second base. It’s a new rule designed to keep extra-innings games from dragging on interminably. It worked according to plan in this case.
Here’s how MILB.com described what happened next:
Luke Williams became the extra-inning runner when the scoreless game moved into the eighth. RHP Christian Morris (L, 1-2) relieved Garcia and Henri Lartigue grounded a ball back to the mound. Williams broke for third and Morris threw to Diego Castillo at second. Castillo attempted to throw Williams out at third, but dropped the ball.
So Clearwater had a runner on third after being gifted a baserunner by rule and then an error on a fielder’s choice. The next batter grounded out to the shortstop and the runner held at third. But on the next play, a grounder to first base, the runner broke for home. The first baseman’s throw was late and the Threshers scored a go-ahead run.
Tampa reliever Christian Morris kept the no-hitter intact with a strikeout and a groundout. But the Tarpons couldn’t score in the bottom of the eighth—even with a runner on second—and suffered the worst bad-luck loss you’ll ever see.
Don’t be this guy
So much for Canadians being so polite.
A Montreal man was banned from his gym after he angrily confronted another lifter because he was making too much noise. I can’t believe he went up to the guy and kicked 350 pounds of weights out of hands when he wasn’t looking. The gym, meanwhile, is offering the victim a free lifetime membership.
I hope this guy gets some help
Shaun Weiss, the guy who played Goldberg in the Mighty Ducks movies, got arrested for public intoxication over the weekend and his mugshot is not pretty. He’s only 38 years old and he looks like he’s 60.
Bits & Pieces
Former MLB pitcher Esteban Loiza is expected to plead guilty on Friday to federal cocaine distribution charges. ... I’m going to link to two Ringer stories I really enjoyed: a history of the Wildcat offense 10 years later and the Cape Cod League team where aspiring announcers go to hone their skills. ... Who’s going to tell the idiots who rallied in support of Urban Meyer that the guy who broke the story doesn’t work for ESPN? ... This is a fun baseball quiz from MLB.com. ... Google Maps now shows everything at the proper scale. ... Sabres star Jack Eichel just bought former Bills GM Doug Whaley’s house. ... I love this photo gallery from the “Redneck Fishin’ Tournament.” ... There’s another twist to the story of the man who jumped out of a restaurant freezer with a knife.
A nice complement to yesterday’s Carlos Gomez item
But I think I like this old Alfonso Soriano quote better.
I love when football coaches show a sense of humor
Things get weird during extra innings
Hank Couture
I don’t know whether I’d rather this be Carey Price’s or a stalker’s
Be careful with your clearances
I think Patrick Mahomes is very much legit
What a save!
Really, Matt Harvey got a tribute?
Everything since 2015 was a disaster for Harvey.
Ants could take over the world
A $100 cocktail in Mexico
[youtube:https://youtu.be/w_KkmaWoVZM]
Meanwhile, a $100 cocktail in New York is just four margaritas.
A good song
Email dan.gartland@simail.com with any feedback or ping me on Twitter. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.
