Houston ¨C Twin traumas have haunted Dusty Baker for nearly two decades. Late Friday, 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, California, 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.
If that sixth game seemed crushing, Baker¡¯s next one was even worse. Five outs from winning the 2003 National League Championship Series with the Chicago Cubs, Baker watched the pennant disappear when a fan touched off a hellscape by innocently reaching for a foul ball.
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