This was Pressley on the hill. I would have taken anyone. Julks, Dejong, Lee, Colas....Every single one of them was a better option. Now you don't want Colas vs. Hader in the 9th, so maybe you burn him there and manipulate the substitutions so DeJong still hits when he hit. But Danny Mendick? They had a chance to tie. Maybe their only hope.
I don't think sending Mendick to the plate with a man on down 2 in the 8th is preparing to kick Houston's ass.