Atomic RoadRunners | Andrew Flynn’s High-Energy Fantasy Baseball

Brandon Lyon blew a save and took the loss against the Reds on Wednesday. Edwin Encarnacion hit a three-run homer off Brandon Lyon in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday night to send the Cincinnati Reds to their first win under manager Dusty Baker, 6-5 over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Lyon (0-1), who took over the closer role after Jose Valverde was traded in the offseason, came on with a 5-3 lead and quickly gave it away. Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn opened the ninth with singles. After Encarnacion failed to get down a sacrifice bunt, he hit his first homer of the season into the lower deck in left field. Lyon had a tough spring, and his owners should definitely have an eye on Tony Pena, who gave up one hit in his scoreless inning of work tonight. Lyon looked every bit the closer Monday when he pitched a perfect ninth in a 4-2 win against the Reds. He even got two strikeouts. Well, his luck turned Wednesday. Lyon can’t afford many slip ups as both Tony Pena and Chad Qualls wait in the wings. Lyon is still the closer in Arizona and can still be thought of as a No. 2 Fantasy RP in mixed leagues. (Rotoworld, CBS Sports)

Update: Here’s a video clip:

The glass was half full over at Seamless Baseball, which also linked to the MLB official clip of the spectacle.

It’s the bottom of the ninth, the Reds are playing the Diamondbacks, and runners are on first and second. Seamless Stamp of Approval recipient Edwin Encarnacion is up to bat, and Dusty Baker is trying his hardest to get him to lay down a bunt. That’s right: he’s trying to get his team’s second or third best hitter, who cannot bunt, to bunt when the game is on the line. I know that every professional baseball player should know how to do little things like this by now, but c’mon, Encarnacion isn’t your pitcher.

Anyway, after unsuccessfully trying to lay down a bunt three times, the count goes 2-2. Dusty is growing agitated and Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley chimes in:

BRANTLEY: This guy is not a clutch hitter. This guy is not a clutch hitter.

BRENNAMAN: Well, his numbers would be contrary to that.

BRANTLEY: He is not a clutch player.

(Encarnacion promptly sends the 2-2 pitch into the left field bleachers for a walk-off 3-run homer)

BRENNAMAN: Hammered down the left field line! Is it clutch? Reds win!

In one little highlight, Dusty Baker is proven wrong. Jeff Brantley is proven wrong. The smug never-played-baseball-before broadcaster who actually looks at numbers to verify his hunches is proven right.

Best of all, Encarnacion is the savior.

And did I mention Baker is proven wrong?

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