Down 2 Runs Going into the 7th

We found ourselves in this exact situation in both games with 3 ABs left. Yet PM approached each one completely differently.

In game 1, we were up 4-2 in the 6th and Lange falls apart. Bugg comes in to stop the bleeding and we leave the inning down 6-4. In game 2, Poche reaches his limit. Bugg comes in. We give up another run and are down 3-1. No one is in the pen. We scratch a run in the top of the frame.

I understand this next part uses hindsight. In game 1, Bugg is pulled for Latz and He struggles. Bain has to finish the frame. However, we do end up with 8 runs. Enough to win had we held them to 6 or 7. But in game 2, we go with Newman.

What we see here is PM obviously saving Bugg In game 1. Why? We weren't down 5 runs. It was just 2. We were still very much in that game. And another inning or two wouldn't have burned Bugg for the weekend.

I know we lost game 1 for other reasons. Lange didn't have his best. We ran out of 3 innings, 2 of them on questionable calls. Game 2 was a lesson in being unclutch. But this was a huge turning point where, it's apparent because of game 2, that PM didn't keep the guy in he had most confidence in to keep CC off the board.

Good season. Fun to watch down the stretch. Always disappointed when the season ends in a loss. Geaux Tigers.