9.06.2007

The magic of baseball

… So I got out of bed yesterday, started getting ready for work and thought, How cool would it be to go to the Brewers game tonight on a whim?

My answer came about two hours later when Kates' dad called me, saying he had two tickets to the game and invited me to go with him. I’d love to, I said.

For the rest of my work day, the hours couldn’t pass fast enough. I was out by 4:30 and cruising to the in-laws place. I dodged rush hour traffic and arrived there within an hour. Chloe, of course, was there to pounce on me at the door and bouncing off the furniture ready to play … though she quickly figured out I wasn’t staying and went into pout mode on the couch. We had a quick supper of egg salad sandwiches and off we went …

I think it’s official now -- there isn’t a spot in Miller Park I haven’t occupied. I’ve spent numerous nights sitting in the 200 level seats in front of the press box and behind home plate. I’ve watched games from both the left field bleachers and the right field bleachers. We’ve watched from box seats on the first base side and the third base side. I’ve sat in the first rows of the upper deck, and about as far away as you can get from the field without standing on the retractable roof …

Last night, we sat in the front row of the cushy club box seats along the third base side. Entering the elite section through the large oak doors was like entering the first class deck of the Titanic, with an usher to welcome us and all. The concourse was carpeted like the lobby of a corporate office, although it had a bar area in the middle that looked like the set of “Cheers.” And vendors not only offered peanuts, hot dogs and soda, but cakes, fruits and other delicacies …

At game time, the weather was clear and breezy. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

The Brewers opponent last night? The Houston Astros. A team I’ve seen and learned more about this week than … well, at least the Brewers and the Cubs. Saw them Sunday in person at Wrigley. And then watched them closely against the Brewers in that awful game on Monday and last night’s key Brewers win …

Tonight, it was the Astros who looked awful and the Brewers who finally looked like the team that was sure to make the postseason back in April …

Astros pitcher Matt Albers walked the first two Brewers batters he faced, Ryan Braun hit into a fielder’s choice for the first out and then Prince Fielder made Albers pay by hitting his 41st home run to center field. It was a ball that center fielder Hunter Pence actually got a glove on before knocking it over the wall. Had Pence not made the catch, it looked as though the ball still would’ve gotten over. 3-0, Brewers at the end of one.

Then in the second, the Brewers pitcher, Yovani Gallardo, who pitched seven innings of brilliant shutout ball, doubled and Gabe Gross took a walk. Next up, Ryan Braun launched a home run to left field. I shot up from my seat, fist in the air and watched it sail into the seats; it was a no-doubter. 6-0, Brewers at the end of two.

In the third, Corey Hart doubled and then scored on Johnny Estrada’s double to make it 7-0. And in the fourth, Hart homered after walks put Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder on. And Geoff Jenkins followed with a home run of his own to make it 11-0, Brewers.

The Brewers just recently placed a huge gas pump in right center field, sponsored by Citgo, to keep a count of the Brewers team home run total this summer. When the game started, its bright red letters were set on 187. After Jenkins home run, a guy behind us says, If they keep going like this, we’ll see 200 by the end of the night! Seriously …

After the fourth, Ned Yost smartly started yanking the starters, and by the eighth inning, only two remained in the game … Bill Hall, pinch-hitting for Hart in the sixth inning, knocked the Brewers fifth and final home run of the night. And a double by call-up Vinnie Rottino brought home two runs in the seventh inning …

The Brewers led 14-0 heading into the ninth, but newcomer Ray King, who’d literally just stepped off a plane to get to last night’s game couldn’t nail down the shutout. He walked Eric Bruntlett and gave up the two-run home run to Luke Scott … and then struck out the next three batters to end the game …

Brewers win, 14-2.

And the other scoreboards? Oh yeah, we kept a close eye on those throughout the game, too. St. Louis lost, but the Cubs fended off the Dodgers to keep the Brew Crew a half game back …

At least for last night. Tonight the Brewers are idle and the Cubs loss this afternoon to put the Brewers back in first baby!

So the magical summer of baseball continues ... Let's face it, I haven't had the best of times at work this summer, but all this baseball stuff has sure been fun ...

Let's review ...
April 11: Angels-Indians ... at Miller Park!
April 22: Brewers-Astros
May 8: Cubs-Pirates ... and extra innings during the train ride home.
June 5: Brewers-Cubs ... at Wrigley Field North.
June 16: Cubs-Padres ... The weekend the Cubs finally got hot, literally.
July 21: Brewers-Giants ... The Bonds watch.
Aug. 10: Royals-Blue Jays
Aug. 14: Brewers-Cardinals ... with the legends.
Aug. 17: Cubs-Cardinals ... AND Brewers-Reds.
Sept. 2: Cubs-Astros

And tonight.

... And here's hoping there's more to come in October.

Do we really have to start the football season?

Go Colts.

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