For the record, I didn’t have any issues with David Ross’ choice to leave Javier Assad in the game in the ninth inning. Assad had thrown 48 pitches through his first five innings of relief and allowed just two baserunners, both on walks, and both runners were immediately erased on double plays. Just one ball had been hit out of the infield against Assad in those first five innings.
It wasn’t the wrong choice. It just didn’t work, as the first three Cardinals in the ninth inning smacked extra-base hits off Assad and the Cardinals held on for a 6-4 win over the Cubs.