B.J. and the brain cramp (updated)

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

August 14, 2010, 1:35pm

Comments

B.J. Upton went from first to third on Jason Bartlett's one-out single in the third inning. Good idea, except that Gabe Kapler stopped at third, adjusted his batting helmet and leaned in to talk to his coach as Upton approached the bag. The play's right in front of Upton, but that's a minor detail. He was going first to third and nobody was going to stop him. Kapler had little choice except to run home, where Matt Wieters waited for him and applied the tag. Kapler plowed into Wieters, but he's not as big as he used to be, and Wieters held onto the ball. Carl Crawford grounded out, and Brian Matusz was out of the jam. The Rays should have loaded the bases with one out, but Upton had other ideas. The play was in front of him, but his head was somewhere else. I'm thinking a dark and cramped place. Update: Nobody helped out Matusz in the fourth. He allowed five runs before recording an out, the last four on Kelly Shoppach's grand slam. Plate umpire Brian Knight squeezed Matusz on the previous pitch, giving Shoppach another chance. Adam Jones just threw out Upton at the plate to end the inning and prevent further damage.