One that got away...

Well that game was all wrapped up and safely in the loss column... and then, the O's manager made a big blunder.

That is the second time in recent weeks that our AL East opponent's manager has decided that he would like to give the Sox a helping hand - the first to do so was John Gibbons in Toronto, pulling Roy Halladay and allowing the Sox to get at the Jays pen.

Like that night in Toronto, there just didn't seem any need for Sam Perlozzo's decision today - Alex Cora had led off the 6th inning with a single, but three innings later, the Sox hadn't recorded another hit, and Guthrie hadn't allowed another base runner since issuing a walk to Crisp, also in the 6th.

In his post game, Perlozzo seemed to suggest that Guthrie was tired, but given he was effectively one ground ball to second away from the CG, wouldn't the sensible call to have given him one more batter - even if that batter had hit a HR, the O's would have still had a three run lead, even if he just allowed another base runner, a HR still has a 2 run lead... and Guthrie may have been a bit tired after throwing only 91 pitches, but the pen wasn't fresh after the day before either.

But who am I to complain - anytime the opposing manager wants to gift wrap us a W, I will just say thank-you, and move on.

Apparently though, if you follow the opposition team, you don't feel quite so charitable.