Fast forward the same situation 5 innings. Why does one run later mean more than one run now? A run is a run; I'll take one in whatever inning I can get it in. If you play for one run that is the best outcome you can expect. You should only play for one run if you know that is all you will need (i.e., late in a game) IMO, it wasn't horrible, merely bad. Barrett is one of the better hitters on the team Dontrell was having problem with control (as evidenced by the walk and then groving one to Murt). JJ was in the hole. But it's not as if they were playing for one run, and only one run. They were playing for the first run of the game - to take the lead. I'll stop talking about it now, as the game has moved on. But I still think it was a good call.