HOUSTON -- The remains of Franklin Gutierrez's shattered bat flung straight in the air, coming dangerously close to landing on Dallas Keuchel, who was too busy navigating the bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth inning of a tie game to notice where the wood would land.
"If it stuck me in the neck, it was going to stick me in the neck," Keuchel said. "I was going to try to get the out."
He did, fielding the grounder and throwing to catcher Hank Conger to start a 1-2-3 double play before striking out Mark Trumbo on four pitches to escape the jam unscathed.