How Fortunate?

The tying run scored in the eighth on a wild pitch. 

Austin Jackson kept the score tied at two with a highlight lay-out catch in the 10th. 

The winning run scored in the 11th on a two-out Alex Avila liner that Jays' right fielder Anthony Gose played into a single, going for the play at the plate and not the diving third out catch. 

If not either, the game might still be under way, with Jeff Baker pitching the 22nd inning. 

Justin Verlander went nine and got eight of the last twelve outs on strikeouts. His only mistake was the pitch Edwin Encarnacion hit out in the fourth with Colby Rasmus on. When you're pitching for the Pretenders, your only mistake could easily cost you the game. Fortunately for JV, it didn't. For yet another excellent outing, he gets yet another no decision. 

The P's showed no interest in scoring off J.A. Happ, who blanked them for 7 1-3 innings. (The Astros traded this guy away? That's the sort of player move that explains why they're on the way to a 110 loss season.) 

But they win 3-2, and go to ten over OM. At day's end, the W is all that's really important. 

The season-long offensive drought, and thus the P's season-long hang-on by their fingernails in either the Central or Bridesmaid race, can be boiled down to one AB in today's seventh inning. 

With Peralta on second and the score 2-0 Jays, and a hit desperately needed from some seasoned slugger to wake up the offense, right fielder Jeff Baker strode plateward.

Baker, acquired on August 5 from the Cubs for two (yes, two) players to be named later, started the day at .167 and had done nothing worth a mention in this blog. 

He struck out swinging, his third whiff of the afternoon, and the rally died. 

Fortunately for everyone wearing the Olde English "D," the game's outcome didn't -- if you'll pardon the reference -- HINGE on that at bat.