A Change of Plans

So you're a sportswriter for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer covering the M's tilt against Washington on June 21. It's the middle of the ninth and you're a couple of quotes and one mouse click from hitting the send key on a completed story. It looks like this:

Doug Fister baffled Washington batters with solid command and a four-pitch repertoire, limiting the home team to a run on three hits and a walk in eight impressive innings as the Mariners humbled the Nationals 5-1. 

The top three in the Mariner order, Ichiro Suzuki, Brendan Ryan and Adam Kennedy combined for all the offense the team needed with seven hits and four runs scored. Brandon League finished Washington off in the...

Oh, wait. League's in some trouble. With two out, left fielder Jerry Hairston just singled home shortstop Ian Desmond and moved Jayson Werth to third. 

Brandon League made it interesting in the ninth, allowing a run to score and putting the tying run at the plate before David Pauley mopped up.

Uh oh. Keystoner Danny Espinosa brought Werth home with a single and now the tying run's at first. You can just edit that last paragraph.

Relievers Brandon League and David Pauley made it interesting in the ninth, allowing Washington to climb within two before stranding the tying run at first base. Pauley earned his first save of...

Oh. Ohhhh. Pauley is kicking dirt as Nats catcher Wilson Ramos exults. The baseball Ramos just hit to deep center is about to change ownership. That's a real walk-off homer, because no one has to run.

Select all. Delete. It's going to be a long night of rewriting. Here's the Associated Press account:

Wilson Ramos capped Washington's five-run ninth inning with a game-ending three run homer, lifting the Nationals to a dramatic victory over Seattle. 

Jerry Hairston Jr. and Danny Espinosa each had two-out RBI singles before Ramos connected on a 1-1 pitch from David Pauley., hitting a drive to deep center for his sixth homer. Ramos threw his arms up almost immediately after the ball left his bat as Pauley (4-1) trudged off the mound.

The Mariners wasted a fine effort from Doug Fister.

Dang. I hate when that happens...

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