TORONTO – If he had it to do over again, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez might not have brought in rookie reliever Sugar Ray Marimon to start the 10th inning Saturday, with the score tied and Toronto sluggers Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista due up.
Marimon didn’t have to face Bautista, but only because Donaldson crushed the rookie’s second pitch, driving it over the left-field fence for a walk-off homer and a 6-5 Blue Jays win.
If a similar situation arises, Gonzalez said he might bring in closer Jason Grilli, despite an unwritten rule that most managers strictly follow: Don’t bring your closer into a tie game on the road.