pinch hitter

Six months after his last at-bat — he struck out as a pinch hitter in the final week of the 1986 season — Russell was back in uniform as the team’s bench coach.

Miguel Rojas, an infielder, was deployed as a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth inning and remained in the game at shortstop.

And in true fashion, Angels World Series MVP Troy Glaus made a surprise cameo as a pinch hitter.

“Like a pinch hitter or an assassin, he comes in and just perfectly executes the assignment of every scene.”

He fanned pinch hitter Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay’s top minor league prospect, to end his outing with five strikeouts and no walks.