attention grabbers

Both of the Mississippi college alums in the World Series got noticed in Game 5 tonight. First, Mississippi State product Mitch Moreland launched a tape measure home run in the third inning, providing Texas with its first run in what would be a 4-2, come-from-behind win. Much later, in the decisive eighth, ex-Ole Miss standout Lance Lynn came on in relief for St. Louis — to intentionally walk the Rangers’ Ian Kinsler. This came after Mike Napoli had delivered his tiebreaking two-run double. Very odd. Through some kind of bizarre miscommunication between Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa and his bullpen, Lynn warmed up even though he wasn’t supposed to. He had worked 2 1/3 innings on Saturday, earning the win in Game 3, and LaRussa wasn’t going to use him tonight. LaRussa had wanted another right-hander, Jason Motte, to get ready to face the right-handed hitting Napoli but had to stick with lefty Marc Rzepczynski when he saw that Motte wasn’t warm. After Napoli’s big hit and a strikeout by the lefty-swinging Moreland, LaRussa brought in Lynn to walk Kinsler because, apparently, Motte still wasn’t ready. Motte did finally come on to get the third out. LaRussa blamed the communication problems on the noise at the Texas ballpark. Very odd, indeed.