The decision

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

June 18, 2010, 9:06pm

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Alfredo Simon was supposed to be the closer when he came off the disabled list. That's what we were told. Maybe not in his first appearance, but the ones afterward. David Hernandez changed that line of thinking with two saves - both in games that Jake Arrieta started. It looked like the right time to audition him. Interim manager Juan Samuel called upon Hernandez tonight after the Orioles took a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth. Simon struck out both batters he faced to end the eighth, but Hernandez clearly has been designated as the closer. Actions speak louder than words. Samuel could have stayed with the hot hand tonight and run Simon back out there, with Hernandez ready in the bullpen if needed. The decision: Bring in Hernandez and let him close again. The result: The Padres loaded the bases with no outs, starting with a four-pitch walk. They tied the game on David Eckstein's one-out single and won it on Adrian Gonzalez's two-out single. Time for bed. That's my decision.