One night after turning in a managerial gem, Rob Thomson is the goat, or at least one of them. A manager’s reputation is, to some degree, at the mercy of his players; there’s a parallel universe not far off from our own in which a different pitch is selected, or a swing is just late, and Thomson’s managerial decisions tonight fade into the aether, not to be discussed again. But we do not live in this world, and so we must discuss the major managerial decisions in Game 2’s high-wire act.
Brandon Marsh pinch-hits for Pache, Top 7th
A relatively simple decision: Pierce Johnson, a righty, was on the mound, so Thomson calls in Marsh for the matchup advantage.