At-Bat Following Grand Slam Just Kind Of Awkward

HOUSTON—Astros right fielder Hunter Pence expressed consternation following teammate Miguel Tejada’s seventh inning grand slam, saying the proceedings took a decided turn for the awkward from that moment on. “Now where does that leave me exactly?” Pence said after the game, referring to the at-bat in question, in which the sixth-place hitter took two called strikes before hitting a check swing grounder to second base. “Not to mention the fact that when I got up there it was 7-0 all of a sudden. Best case, and I’m talking about if everything goes perfectly, I would’ve driven in one run, maximum. I felt like an idiot.” Cardinals pitcher Ryan Franklin, the man who gave up the grand slam in question, calmly retired the next three batters, walked down to the visiting clubhouse, and took his own life.