9-News: 37.067 – Moran’s Arrival Keys Wins

[RonCo]

Fleetfooted center fielder Anibal Moran’s call-up made some news last week, but not as much as his bat. Moran made his debut against Seattle, substituting for Mauro Saucedo in the bottom of the 7th inning. He strode to the plate an inning later, and smashed a hot grounder between first and second, driving in what turned into a key insurance run in an eventual 10-7 victory. He would steal second and then third, then score that 10th and final run.

“It was a lot of fun,” Moran said afterward. “If I retired now, I could leave batting 1.000.”

Luckily for the Nine, Moran did not retire. Instead, the team moved on to face Atlantic City for three games—all three seeing Moran inserted as a defensive replacement or pinch runner. All total, he went 1-for-4, stole a base and scored 4 runs. In the second game of there series, Moran ran for Jose Garcia in a 1-1 tie game. He stole second and forced an intentional walk to Aaron Stone that resulted in the floodgates opening up for a 5-run inning. The following game, he again pinch-ran in the 6th, and scored a run that put the Nine up 4-2. He struck out his first time up, but walked and scampered home on a double in the 9th inning to give the Nine a 3-run cushion they wouldn’t relinquish. Then, with Madison visiting, Moran started two games, went 4-8 with two doubles and an RBI, scoring twice more.

“He’s been a real spark plug,” said manger Bret Richards. “It’s been fun to watch him play.

All total, Moran is hitting .462/.533/.615 and has thrown down the solid glovework he was known for. In the process, his team has won each game he’s appeared in, and suddenly finds themselves once again knocking at the .500 barrier. The season’s getting a little long in the tooth to get serious about post season aspirations, but it’s not so late that dreamers can’t still engage in a little daytime heads in the cloudsing. In the meantime, though, Moran is just having fun.

“Tell Pat (teammate Pat Allen, who is on the DL with a fractured foot) to take his time,” Moran said, laughing.