Postgame Shot Of Joe: Hurray For Kelly Shoppach!

No, Joe’s not drunk. He actually wrote the headline above stone sober. Even Joe has a hard time believing he wrote that headline, but it’s true. It was Kelly Shoppach that likely had the key hit of the game, a two-run single to left that plated Bossman and SRod. It gave the Rays a four-run lead. Good thing to because it was at that time Wade Davis simply ran out of gas and the Orioles got two runs to pull within 7-5. If not for Shoppach’s two RBIs, that game would have been tied. And just about any baseball pitcher much less manager will tell you how different you pitch and play in a tie game compared to a two-run lead late. If not for Shoppach’s two-run single, who knows what would have happened, how the game would have ended? If Shoppach can be just a little better hitter, come up with a game like this once or twice a week, hit maybe .250, he would be so much better and the Rays would be more formidable at the plate. Joe is hoping this is a sign of better t...