Dan Bailey just missed an extra point.
Dirk Nowitzki botched a free throw.
And, in the spirit of unlikely upsets, Adrian Beltre threw the game away.
He’s a Gold Glove winner and a certain Hall of Famer, but on Tuesday night the Rangers’ 3rd baseman turned a routine throw to 1st base into an error that cost his team a loss to the Blue Jays.
Closer Shawn Tolleson started the trouble by uncharacteristically walking two hitters with a one-run lead in the 9th. But it was the usually flawless Beltre that doused the rally with gasoline.
Tied at 5 with two outs, Toronto’s Josh Donaldson hit a one-hopper to Beltre, who took his time and … inexplicably threw so wide of 1st base that Mitch Moreland had to leave the bag to snag the throw. After a scintillating game between the AL’s two best teams since the All-Star break, this one eroded into a bad loss against a good team.
“I knew I had time, so I wasn’t rushing it,” Beltre told reporters in the post-game clubhouse. “I tried to throw the ball nice and easy and I just yanked it. This one is on me. I lost the game.”
Sports Connection
Connecting you to your favorite North Texas sports teams as well as sports news around the globe.
Props to Beltre for facing the media, and for accepting blame. It’s what true leaders do. Beltre makes that throw accurately 99 times out of 100.
But on a rare night, George Clooney couldn’t close the deal with the woman at the bar.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
