With the Rangers down 3-2 in the seventh inning, the Ballpark at Arlington was quiet. It wasn't a we-don't-care quiet, but rather a nervous c'mon-dammit-something-good-happen quiet. Nelson Cruz led off the bottom of the seventh and lofted a fly ball that was about 13,048 feet high, and 300 feet long. For a brief moment the crowd came to life before realizing it was well foul. It had the right sound, at least.
Rangers vs. Tigers: Nelson Cruz Ties Game At 3-3 With Monster Homer
On the very next pitch, Cruz launched a ball that was about 13,047 feet high, about 400 feet long, and plenty fair. It banged off the fair pole for a homer that tied the game at 3-3.
The home run got Max Scherzer out of the game, and while he pitched well enough to win -- hey, taking what the umpire gives you is right there in the O.E.D. definition of pitching well -- he'll head back to the bench thinking about his last pitch more than all of the good that was done before. With two-plus innings left in the game, everything starts over.
If it's a battle of the late-inning relievers, both teams can put out some impressive arms. The Rangers have Mike Adams, Koji Uehara, Darren Oliver, and Neftali Feliz, while the Tigers have Joaquin Benoit, Al Alburquerque, and Jose Valverde, who just gyrated and shimmied a little because a nerd 1,700 miles away typed his name.
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