HOUSTON — Twin traumas have haunted Dusty Baker for nearly two decades. Late Friday night they fused as he tried to clinch a pennant as manager of the Houston Astros. If Baker had chosen to hide until the storm blew over, you’d have understood: He was leading 5-0 in Game 6 of a championship series.
Normally this would be a very good thing. But the scoreboard also read 5-0 in Anaheim, Calif., when Baker’s San Francisco Giants had a chance to close out the 2002 World Series. The Angels stormed back to win and took the title the next night.