My Life at the Ballpark

[lifeinthestands]

Game #29 4/20/11 Tigers 3 Mariners 2

My trip to Seattle added a second trip to Safeco Field with afternoon baseball on a chilly day. For the first time I enjoyed fish at a baseball game, but it was nowhere near the best fish that I had this week. My brother-in-law took us to an awesome hole in the wall fish place by a punk club and it was amazing!

As for the game, the Tigers struck early on a Ryan Raburn home run and a Miguel Cabrera RBI single. The Mariners closed the gap when Ichiro’s 2,267th hit drove in one of my favorite former Pirates, Jack Wilson. Brennan Boesch gave Rick Porcello a two-run lead to work with again. That lead stayed at two until Adam Kennedy took the second pitch he saw from Jose Valverde and put over the fence. Papa Grande struck out three of the next four to pick up the save and end my baseball experience in Seattle. Back to Cincinnati.

[lifeinthestands]

Game #28:  4/18/11 Tigers 8 Mariners 3

My first trip to Safeco Field began with a late arrival after some issues figuring out public transit. I didn’t get to look around the stadium much and the roof was closed on this cold Spring evening. All week people said we had great weather there, but it was just cloudy and 50, so less than stellar for baseball.

When we arrived, Victor Martinez had already been lifted for a pinch runner after injuring his ankle in the first inning. It turned out to be a pitcher’s duel early as flamethrower and upcoming pitcher Max Scherzer faced off against the soft tossing lefty Jason Vargas with both putting up six innings of two run baseball.

The wheels came off for Seattle when Josh Lueke and Chris Ray were tagged for six runs in the seventh inning. The big blow came when Jhonny Peralta’s triple scored Miguel Cabrera, Casper Wells (in for Martinez), and Brennan Boesch to make it 8-2 The Mariners got one back in the eighth on a Justin Smoak homer, but it was too little too late.

Also in this game, Ichiro slashed hit #2,262 for his MLB career.

[lifeinthestands]

Game #27 10/3/2010 Reds 3 Brewers 2

The Reds were on there way to the playoffs with only one game left to play. The Brewers not so much as they finished below .500 and would fire Ken Macha after the season. Don’t feel bad for the Crew as they would go on to win the NL Central in 2011.

Aaron Harang earned the nod on the final day of the season and squared off against Southpaw Randy Wolf. The Reds got to Wolf right away as Joey Votto doubled in Orlando Cabrera and then scored on a Jonny Gomes single.

Milwaukee tied the game in the top of the third when Corey Hart doubled in a pair of runs. More excitement came in the bottom of the third, once again with Votto at the plate, but instead of a hit, fans in the crowd were treated to a fire alarm that flashed throughout the at bat.

The Reds would get a real lights show in the fourth when Jay Bruce followed his heroics against Houston just days before with what turned out to be the game winning blast.

The Brewers had several chances to tie the game late, but Aroldis Chapman held off the threat in the seventh, Jared Burton escaped Arthur Rhodes mess in the eighth, and Francisco Cordero notched his 40 save by stranding Carlos Gomez at second.

I attempted to get playoff tickets via a lottery, but the Reds website was seriously lagging and I was not able to come through. Neither were the Reds as they became the second team to be no-hit in the postseason, when the late Roy Halladay did so in Game 1 to set up a series sweep.

The next time I set foot in a ballpark would be in the Pacific Northwest for the first time.

[lifeinthestands]

Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds 9/12/2010 Game 26

The final game of my Pirates road trip wrapped up in Cincinnati after going 3-2 in Pittsburgh, Colorado, Detroit, and Chicago.

The last place Pirates were a particular thorn in the first place Reds side, forcing the Reds to win in extra innings the previous two nights. The tables in this game would actually turn in the Pirates favor, but it would come at the very last moment.

Johnny Cueto absoulutely dominated the Pirates in his seven innings of work, allowing just three hits while striking out seven. Surprisingly Brian Burres also turned in seven strong innings for Pittsburgh. His lone blemish was in the fourth inning when Orlando Cabrera and Joey Votto combined for back-to-back doubles to make it 1-0.

The Pirates had Logan Ondrusek and Arthur Rhodes on the ropes, but the Buccos were unable to crack the Reds bullpen. Unexpectedly in the bottom of the eighth the Pirates called upon veteran Chan Ho Park in one of his final career MLB appearances. Playing for his eighth team and second in the 2010 season, Park tossed an uneventful scoreless inning.

Enter Francisco Cordero, who Dusty Baker was trotting out for the third game in a row. His first two outings led to a blown save on Friday and saw him pick up the win on Saturday. Needless to say, Reds fans were not entirely confident in Cordero on this sunny Sunday afternoon.

Cordero started the inning with a walk to John Bowker, then allowed a single to Ryan Doumit. Lastings Milledge dropped a terrible bunt that forced out Bowker at third. Garrett Jones then singled to load the bases. Jose Tabata grounded out to Joey Votto, who threw home to get pinch runner Pedro Ciriaco.

That brought up future MVP Andrew McCutchen. Cutch took a strike, then swung at a breaking ball out of the zone, then checked his swing on the same pitch. Down to their final strike it looked dire for the Buccos. That’s when McCutchen doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and make it 3-1 Pittsburgh.

Joel Hanrahan tried to do his best Cordero impression by also loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth. He got ahead of Chris Heisey 0-2, but then found himself in a 2-2 count five pitches later. The drama ended there as Heisey struck out looking to end the game.

The Reds would go on to win the division and subsequently be swept by the Phillies including Roy Halladay’s no-hitter in his first career postseason game. The Pirates would lose over 100 games, fire John Russell, and hire the bubble gum chewing Clint Hurdle as their manager.

As for me, there was still enough time in the season to enjoy one more game before bidding the epic 2010 season farewell.

[lifeinthestands]

Florida Marlins at Cincinnati Reds 8/13/2010 Game 25

There’s no better way to spend a Friday night in Cincinnati than at the ballpark (IMO). The game featured the Major League leader in ERA (Josh Johnson) a slugging up and comer Mike Stanton (aka Giancarlo Stanton), and an 8 time Gold Glove center fielder and four time All-Star in Jim Edmonds, The game would not go well for Johnson, Stanton would impose he brute strength on the Queen City, and Edmonds would retire the following spring, because he thinks Cincinnati doctors are incompetent. Here’s how that happened.

Very early in the game, it was apparent that Johnson’s 1.98 ERA was in trouble. Brandon Phillips (Edmonds least favorite teammate), started the game with a single, so did Laynce Nix, then Joey Votto plated Phillips with his single, and Scott Rolen made it 2-0 just four batters in. The aforementioned Edmonds flew out, but Jay Bruce continued the single parade with an RBI single of his own.

Bruce’s fielder’s choice made it 4-0 in the third before Johnson’s day really went downhill in the fourth. After his pitching counterpart Edinson Volquez singled, but was erased by a fielder’s choice, the Reds resumed their hit parade. Nix picked up his second hit and reached base for the third straight at bat. Phillips scored on a single by Votto, while Rolen doubled home Votto to chase Johnson at 6-0.

Bruce finished the Reds scoring with his third RBI of the game, this time with a solo homer off Taylor Tankersley in the fifth. Volquez made his first mistake in the sixth when he pitched to Stanton and surrendered a home run. Stanton struck again in the eighth, this time off Logan Ondrusek to finish all scoring at 7-2.

The next trek to the ballpark would feature one of the more improbable comebacks.

[lifeinthestands]

St. Louis Cardinals at Cincinnati Reds 8/11/2010 Game 24

Having just moved to the Queen City and having not yet found a job, I decided the responsible thing to do was attend some afternoon baseball.

The game had an extra set of intrigue to it as the Cardinals and Reds were fighting for first place in the NL Central. Things had boiled over the night before with a bench clearing brawl that actually ended the career of former Reds catcher and Yadier Molina’s backup, Jason LaRue.

Adam Wainwright and Bronson Arroyo were on their best behavior. They were also on the top of their game through the first four innings, until things begin to fall apart in the fifth for Arroyo.

With two outs Jon Jay doubled and then Arroyo walked Albert Puljos (intentionally) and Matt Holliday to load the bases. Colby Rasmus gave the Cardinals all the offense they needed with a grand slam to open a 4-0 lead on the Reds.

St. Louis added to that lead in the seventh when Molina and future Red Skip Schumaker each singled home a run. When the top of the eighth rolled around, Arthur Rhodes took the mound for the Reds, only for the grounds crew to put the tarp on the field. After the delay resumed the Reds decided to pull a double switch. This marked not only my first rain delay (and many more to come), but also the first time I saw someone appear without doing anything.

The rain delay also ended the day for Wainwright and the Reds seized that opportunity to avoid being shutout. Joey Votto singled in one of Tuesday’s main participants in Tuesday’s brawl, Brandon Phillips.

That’s all the Reds could muster and they dropped their first of so many more games to come as a metro Cincinnati resident.

[lifeinthestands]

Pittsburgh Pirates at Colorado Rockies 7/29/2010 Game 23

After the big wedding day it was off to Midway airport in Chicago and we landed in “The Centennial State” ready to enjoy some Rocky Mountain scenery. Instead we spent the first day out West suffering from altitude sickness. After making a speedy recovery we trekked all over the mountains before settling back to Denver.

We arrived early to take in our first experience at Coors Field which is one of my favorite venues to take in a baseball game. To make it even better, the ushers, who were super old people, were nothing but nice to me, despite me sporting a makeshift Roberto Clemente jersey.

As for the game itself, crafty lefty Paul Maholm, fresh off his complete game shutout of the Astros just nine days earlier, took the mound for the Pirates. Opposing him was first time All-Star and owner of a no-hitter back in April, Ubaldo Jimenez.

Both pitchers took their lumps in the first inning when Garrett Jones doubled in Jose Tabata for the Pirates and Carlos Gonzalez hit a no doubter off Maholm to make it 1-1 after one.

The second inning belonged to the Rockies with Maholm facing a bases loaded, two out scenario. Dexter Fowler doubled in a pair and future Pirate, Clint Barmes, drove in another two to quickly make it 5-1 Colorado.

The Rockies piled on with an RBI single by Miguel Olivo in the fifth. Barmes added an RBI single and Troy Tulowitzki, complete with the Rocky Mountains shaved into the side of his mullet, hit a sac fly to give Colorado an 8-1 advantage. Brad Hawpe wrapped up the Rockies scoring with a solo homer off Steven Jackson.

Rafael Betancourt came on for Jimenez in the eighth and surrendered a two-run homer off the bat of Neil Walker, but Pittsburgh would not be able to scratch a run against Huston Street to finish the game. Street was pitching just two days after suffering an abdominal contusion when Ian Stewart hit him with a line drive during batting practice.

We packed up our things and flew back to Chicago en route to Cincinnati, our new home...well technically Kentucky. It would set up a future of seven years of Reds baseball, including an All-Star Game and one year of half-season tickets.

[lifeinthestands]

Washington Nationals at Cincinnati Reds 7/19/2010 Game 22

With my wedding day fast approaching, it was time to head to the Queen City to pick my wife up and bring her back to Northwest Ohio for the big day. Before that happened, we decided to take in one more baseball game before tying the knot.

The Washington Nationals came in to town with a handful of former players from teams I had watched in the past including the very out of place Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, who just so happened to be catching J.D. Martin that night.

Johnny Cueto took the hill for the Reds and would not fair well on the mound, but also at the plate. Most of the action came in the bottom of the second when Martin walked the bases loaded. Drew Stubbs doubled home a pair and then after a Ryan Hanigan walk, Cueto plated two-more with a single of his own.

The Nationals would be quick to respond when Nyjer Morgan, aka Tony Plush, would hit a sacrifice fly. Morgan’s picture on the big screen included an ear to ear smile which my wife had decided was taken as he was being shown the new puppy he was taking home. Christian Guzman singled home Ian Desmond and it was 4-2 Reds.

It stayed that way until the sixth inning when Jonny Gomes and Miguel Cairo each hit solo home runs. Cairo struck again in the eighth with an RBI single to wrap up the scoring.

We drove home later that night and five days later would get married. Being short on money having both just graduated college within the last year, our honeymoon destination was set for Frisco, Colorado. We would spend a handful of days in Frisco before spending our last two days in Denver. When in Denver, you need to go to a Rockies game, and they also just so happened to be playing my beloved Pirates!

[lifeinthestands]

Houston Astros at Pittsburgh Pirates 7/18/2010 Game 21

Day two in Pittsburgh led to last minute visit to the ballpark and a trip to the left field bleachers. The Pirates riding high after the previous night’s victory turned to Paul Maholm to put together back-to-back wins, but Roy Oswalt, a three-time All-Star, stood in the way.

The Pirates hot bats picked up where they started in the second inning when Ryan Doumit doubled home Pedro Alvarez and Lastings Milledge scored Doumit on an RBI single. Oswalt and Maholm traded zeroes before Oswalt left due to an injury in the fifth.

Chris Sampson came in and gave up a two-run blast to Garrett Jones in the fifth inning and then Andrew McCutchen drove in a pair in the sixth to make it 6-0 Bucs.

On the other side of things, Maholm had allowed just two singles to Angel Sanchez before Chris Johnson singled in the eighth inning. Oddly enough, Maholm struck out Sanchez to end that threat quickly.

Just for good measure Ryan Church, Jose Tabata, and Neil Walker each drove in a run to make it 9-0. Maholm came on for the complete game shutout and retired three of the final four hitters he faced to wrap up the game and my trip to Pittsburgh.

The very next day I would take in my third straight day of baseball, but I would be headed from the Steel City to the Queen City.

[lifeinthestands]

Houston Astros at Pittsburgh Pirates 7/17/2010 Game 20

What a better way to celebrate my 20th game than a bachelor party trip to Pittsburgh to enjoy my final weekend as a single man. It was also my first trip to the spectacular PNC Park.

Gathered was a rag tag bunch from Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. We were treated to a less than stellar pitching performance, but plenty of runs to be had all around.

For the Pirates, Ross Ohlendorf, would take the mound, and also be the answer for many Pirates when asked any question on the Jumbotron. His counterpart was future Cardinals closer Bud Norris, who was leading a soon to be down and out Houston Astros team that would trade some key pieces and begin the long journey to rebuilding and their eventual World Series.

On this night though, the Astros were favored over a Buccos team that had lost seven straight. Pittsburgh got on the board quickly with an RBI double by Garrett Jones and then a two-run single from Lastings Milledge made 3-0 in the first.

Houston quickly responded when human action figure, Hunter Pence, homered to lead off the second. Angel Sanchez hit an RBI double and Michael Bourn doubled in a pair and the Astros were back on top and Ohlendorf got the quick hook after just 1.2 innings. Jose Tabata doubled home a pair of runs for the Pirates in the bottom of the second to put Pittsburgh back on top 5-4.

D.J. Carrasco got the Pirates into some hot water in the fifth inning and gave way to sidearm lefty Javier Lopez. Lopez responded by surrendering a two-run double to Chris Johnson and the Astros were back on top 6-5.

With Norris still in the game for Houston in the fifth, the Pirates started a two-out rally with a Milledge single and the first career hit by Eric Kratz in his MLB debut. Ronny Cedeno singled and tied the game at six.

Right around this time a bunch of high school/early college aged girls were conversing with a group of college to late 20′s aged girls. Somehow the older group agreed to buy the younger girls alcohol. This proved to be a mistake as everyone in the aisle was escorted away by security.

What they missed was Ryan Church getting a pinch-hit single off new pitcher Chris Sampson to give the Pirates a lead. Gustavo Chacin took over in the sixth for Houston and gave up two more runs to extend the lead to 9-6. Pittsburgh got another three off Casey Daigle in the eighth to finish the game with a 12-6 victory.

The losing streak was over, but the Pirates had now won back-to-back games that I attended. Our goal was to have a fun night of drinking and tom foolery, but it turns out that on Saturday night, it is nearly impossible to purchase any alcohol.

Instead we settled for a bad Sci-Fi movie about spiders and called it a night. I would persuade about half the guys to stick around one more day to enjoy some Sunday afternoon baseball.

[lifeinthestands]

Baltimore Orioles at Detroit Tigers 7/5/2010 Game 19

After having to work the Fourth of July, I was rewarded by having the next day off. I persuaded my sister to join me in a little afternoon baseball up in Detroit.

What seemed like a favorable pitching match-up for Baltimore turned out to be a nightmare for both teams on this very hot July day. Andy Oliver got the start for Detroit and was not helped by his defense as an error on Magglio Ordonez allowed Corey Patterson, everyone’s favorite player to heckle for some reason, to reach. Patterson stole third and then scored on a ground out by Miguel Tejada.

That first inning still went better than the one Kevin Millwood had. After recording the first out, Johnny Damon singled and Ordonez walked to set up a two-run double by Miguel Cabrera. Then Brennan Boesch walked and Cabrera scored on a Carlos Guillen double. Boesch then scored on a Brandon Inge ground rule double and finally Alex Avila drove in Guillen to make it 5-1 Tigers.

Apparently in a giving mood, Oliver also got the first out of the second inning before allowing a single to Jake Fox, a triple to Julio Lugo, and a single to Cesar Izturis to bring Baltimore to within two.

Miguel Tejada followed two batters later with an RBI single an a Nick Markakis walk chased Oliver from the game after 1.2 innings of work. Ed Bonine didn’t fare much better as he allowed a double to Ty Wigginton and then threw a wild pitch that allowed Markakis to score and make it a 6-5 game.

Mark Hendrickson came on for Baltimore and was greeted with a one-out single by Damon, a two-out double by Cabrera and then a walk to Boesch loaded the bases. Guillen and Inge hit back-to-back singles to clear the bases and make it an 8-6 game.

In an apparent attempt to see who could surrender the most runs, Bonine was victimized by a solo homer by Fox to bring it to 8-7. That home run landed a few runs in front of me and I watched a grown woman yell “MINE” at another spectator attempting to pick up the ball. Eventually Bonine and Hendrickson got things together and strung together some scoreless innings.

Wanting in on the action Koji Uehara allowed a single to Ramon Santiago on just his second pitch of the fifth inning and then a triple to Austin Jackson. Two batters later Ordonez drove in Jackson and Detroit built the lead up to 10-7. Detroit added two more in the seventh and had what at the time felt like a comfortable lead at 12-7.

That’s when the inexplicable in baseball happens. A closer is brought on in a non save situation and then tries to make it a save situation by giving up some runs. This was the feeling that Jose Valverde had. 

Unfortunately for me, it seemed like the day was getting hotter and my sister had disappeared into the bathroom, where it turns out she had briefly passed out from the heat. I had personally left the sunny left field seats and was supporting myself with a trash can as “Papa Grande” walked Markakis, allowed a single to Wigginton, recorded an out, gave up a two-run single to Matt Wieters and then another single to Fox to bring the tying run to the plate.

Finally the final two outs were recorded and we could head home now that my sister had finally recovered from the heat stroke she likely suffered.

The next time I headed to the ballpark it would be my first venture to the lovely PNC Park in Pittsburgh.

[lifeinthestands]

Pittsburgh Pirates at Chicago Cubs 6/30/2010 Game 18

Opened in April of 1914, Wrigley Field is the second oldest active stadium behind Fenway Park (1912). It is considered by many to be one of the best sports venues. So when I made my way to Chicago after my best man surprised me with these tickets, I was full of excitement to experience the “friendly confines.”

“Friendly” really only applies to Cubs fans as I was met with some resistance donning my Pirates hat. In fact, outside the stadium, I presume a highly intoxicated woman found it necessary to yell “Pirates SUCK!” about two inches from my face. Factually this was not an incorrect statement as Pittsburgh entered the game at 26-51 and had not had a winning season since Barry Bonds wore a Buccos uniform (1992).

To make matters worse, I managed to get my pants soaking wet after something began leaking in the bathroom. Needless to say, I was not enjoying my time in the Windy City.

As for the game, I didn’t hold much hope as rookie Brad Lincoln took the ball for the Pirates. Lincoln entered the game having failed to record a victory in his first four starts while sporting a 6.00 ERA. For the Cubs it was former Pirates legend and Herman Munster look alike Tom Gorzelanny.

Both pitchers scattered base runners throughout the game with Gorzelanny only being pulled for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the fifth. That came with the Cubs threatening with runners at second and third. Lincoln wiggled off the hook by striking out Tyler Colvin to end the threat.

Brian Schlitter gave the Cubs two more scoreless innings before giving way to  Andrew Cashner. After getting the first out, Andy LaRoche hit a ground ball to Aramis Ramirez and as any Pirates fan would know, not every Ramirez throw was on target, and this was one of those moments.With a runner on a very young Andrew McCutchen singled and Garrett Jones doubled to break the scoreless tie. After and intentional walk to Ryan Doumit loaded the bases, it was time for Sean Marshall to enter the game.

After striking out Pedro Alvarez, Marshall walked one of the great names in baseball, Lastings Milledge, to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Joel Hanrahan and Octavio Dotel kept the Cubs off the board in final two innings and for the first time, but certainly not the last, the Pirates won a baseball game that I attended!

The next game would be filled for with much more offensive firepower, but nearly marked the end for my sister and I.

[lifeinthestands]

Pittsburgh Pirates at Detroit Tigers 6/12/2010 Game 17

The last time I saw my beloved Pirates was six year prior when they blew a 4-0 lead to the Reds that was capped by a pinch-hit Wily Mo Pena grand slam. This time would feel eerily similar, with more late inning heroics against the Buccos bullpen.

Lefty Paul Maholm and Jeremy Bonderman took the mound on this fateful Saturday that I had nearly ruined by purchasing tickets for the night before, which would have been interesting because I was working that night. Eventually things were straightened out and it led to more baseball later on, so I think it actually worked out for the best.

As for the game each team donned their Negro League uniforms as the Detroit Stars took on the Crawford Grays. This seemed to baffle a girl who showed up to her seats in the fifth inning. The same fans also attempted to taunt rookie Jose Tabata, who would infamously break up Max Scherzer’s perfect game years later by leaning into a pitch. The issue was Tabata’s name did not appear on the back of the jersey because of the special event. He also didn’t show up in the program because he was a recent call up. This led to the gentleman, who once again showed up late, to just yell “31″ for three innings before learning his name was Jose.

The Tigers and Pirates would each score a run in the second before Garrett Jones homer in the fourth broke the tie. Maholm was in line for the win when Evan Meek took the ball in the seventh. Meek would go on to represent Pittsburgh as the lone Pirate in the All-Star Game. His performance on this day was anything but.

It started with an Austin Jackson single, who then stole second. Johnny Damon moved him to third with a single. Meek responded by striking out Ryan Raburn and threw out Jackson at home on a fielder’s choice. Having narrowly escaped, Miguel Cabrera bounced a ball back to Meek and when he threw to first, disaster struck as Ryan Doumit failed to catch the final out and two runs scored.

To spite the heckling gentleman from earlier, Tabata doubled in the top of the eighth off everyone’s favorite Guitar Hero playing reliever, Joel Zumaya. Tabata then stole third and scored on a single by Neil Walker.

Both teams turned to their closers with the game tied. Pittsburgh sent Joel Hanrahan, who looked like he never showered and later signed with, but never appeared for the Tigers after two Tommy John surgeries. Surprisingly Jose Valverde was efficient as he struck out the three hitters he faced in the ninth.

Phil Coke kept the Pirates off the board in the tenth and was the beneficiary of Carlos Guillen’s opposite field walk-off homer against Brendan Donnelly on just the third pitch of the inning.

Fortunately my sadness was short lived, because I’d get to see the Pirates sooner than I thought and it would be at the Friendly confines.

[lifeinthestands]

New York Yankees at Detroit Tigers 5/13/2010 Game 16

With spring quickly turning into summer, I had gotten a late start on getting out to the ballpark. Since the last game, I had graduated college and was two months from getting hitched. With all that going on, I decided to celebrate with a great pitching match-up between Justin Verlander and C.C. Sabathia.

It turned out to be a one-sided affair which is always great when it comes at the expense of the defending World Series Champs. The game did feature a future member of the 600 homer club (Alex Rodriguez), a future MVP and Triple Crown winner (Miguel Cabrera), and a future member of the 3,000 hit club (Derek Jeter).

Verlander was not his usual pinpoint self in the 6.2 innings he worked. Despite allowing just four hits, he also walked four, but did not surrender a run. Sabathia was not as fortunate.

Gerald Laird got the Tigers on the board first in the second inning with an RBI single. Then Cabrera and Brennan Boesch ripped back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning to push the lead to 3-0. Finally in the sixth Cabrera doubled in Johnny Damon and Magglio Ordonez before scoring on a Laird double to make it 6-0.

That’s the way it stayed thanks in part to the MLB debut of Yankees reliever and future Opening Day starter for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Ivan Nova.

Those same Pirates would be in town the next time I ventured to Comerica Park just one month later.

[lifeinthestands]

Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers 10/4/2009 Game 15

October baseball was upon the city of Detroit and although it wasn’t exactly the playoffs, the game certainly had some big playoff implications.

Needing a win to ensure a one-game playoff with the Minnesota Twins to decide the winner of the AL Central, the Tigers turned to Justin Verlander to knock off the Chicago White Sox and John Danks.

The Tigers jumped on Danks from the beginning, although Danks was anything but solid when it came to location. A walk and a double led to an intentional walk to load the bases when Carlos Guillen took the Tigers third walk of the inning to make it 1-0. Danks escaped further damage that inning, but Ryan Raburn would tack on a two-run homer in the second for a quick 3-0 advantage.

Meanwhile, Verlander was mowing down the White Sox, not allowing Chicago to dent the plate in his first seven innings. In that time, Magglio Ordonez added a solo homer and Raburn homered yet again to give the Tigers a comfortable 5-0 lead.

Manager Jim Leyland stuck with his guy into the eighth and it looked like the right call as Verlander sat down Mark Kotsay on just one pitch. Then Alex Rios and Alexei Ramirez each singled and Rios came in to score on a Ramon Castro double. Brent Lillibridge singled in a pair and suddenly the White Sox trailed 5-3. That hit clearly made an impact on a child who cried three years later, when he found out the White Sox had traded Lillibridge to the Red Sox for Kevin Youkillis.

Verlander retired Scott Podsednik, but a walk to Jayson Nix brought the go ahead run to the plate, which meant it was time to bring on the closer. Fernando Rodney did his part quickly as he required just 14 pitches to record the final four outs and ensure a one game playoff with the Twins. 

Rodney was less effective in that game as he squandered the Tigers late rally. Detroit scored in the eighth inning to tie the game and then scored in the tenth to take the lead. Rodney allowed the Twins to score in the tenth as well and then gave up the game winning hit to Alexi Casilla in the 12th to send the Twins to their inevitable fate of losing to the Yankees in the playoffs.

The next year of baseball would feature games in five different stadiums including my first venture to Chicago, Pittsburgh, and Colorado.

[lifeinthestands]

Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers 9/16/2009 Game 14

On a day that was originally billed as Camouflage Hat night in Detroit, legendary Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell made a farewell bid to the fans of Detroit after learning that he had an inoperable tumor back on September 4.

Harwell known who his 42 years in Detroit for his way with words and also his knowledge of the towns throughout the state of Michigan, he finished announcing games for the Tigers in 2002, the year before the Tigers set the mark for futility going 43-119.

There are so many memories of him calling a Tigers game while my buddies and I played wiffle ball in the back yard and to see him in person bid his farewell was truly special. Just seven months later, Harwell would lose his fight with cancer at the age of 92.

If this didn’t help the Tigers find motivation for a win and a chance to increase their lead on the fast approaching Minnesota Twins, I don’t know what would.os

The game featured two September call-ups toeing the rubber. Eddie Bonine, making just his second start of the year and first since being brought back during roster expansions for the Tigers and Lenny DiNardo making just his second start and appearance of the season. For DiNardo it would be one of his final appearances before failing to make it back to the majors after the 2009 season.

Both pitchers worked around some base runners in the first few frames, but the Royals would strike first in the third inning. An Alex Gordon single and Yuniesky Betancourt double set up an RBI single by former Toledo Rocket, Mitch Maier, but Betancourt was thrown out at home to keep it a 1-0 game.

That lead increased to 3-0 in the fourth when Miguel Olivio singled home Mike Jacobs and then Gordon plated Alberto Callaspo on a sacrifice fly. The Tigers finally responded in the bottom of the inning when Curtis Granderson and Adam Everett each drove in a run to cut the lead to 3-2.

Everett struck again when he tied the game with an RBI single to chase DiNardo. Jamey Wright replaced him and fanned Aubrey Huff, who had just come over in a trade back in August. Placido Polanco picked up his new teammate with a go ahead single to put Detroit on top 4-3.

Despite Bobby Seay trying to blow the game in the eighth, Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney would prevent a Royals comeback and kept the Tigers 4.5 up on the Twins, but by the time I came back to the ballpark on Oct. 4, the Tigers would be in a must win situation.

[lifeinthestands]

San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds 8/20/09 Game 13

While waiting for my fiancee to get off work, I decided that I should take in some afternoon baseball down at Great American Ballpark. This game featured a solid pitching match-up between Matt Cain and Aaron Harang, but also featured a lot of bench players for the afternoon affair.

Both pitchers took full advantage of lineups that were not at their fullest potential, but it was a fluke play that led to the first run of the game in the fourth. With the bases loaded Harang struck out Ryan Garko, but backup catcher Craig Tatum wasn’t able to wrangle in the wild pitch to allow Juan Uribe to score from third.

Cain’s lone mistake came against Laynce Nix who hit a solo homer for the only blemish against the Giants righty, who three years later would throw the 22nd Perfect Game in MLB history.

The Giants had a chance to break the tie in the eighth when Pablo Sandoval doubled and Randy Winn singled, but pinch-hitter and future Red, Edgar Renteria, hit into an inning-ending double play.

Bob Howry took over for Cain in the ninth and pitched a scoreless frame, but it took just three pitches into the tenth inning for him to surrender the first home run of rookie Drew Stubbs career.

As seen above, Stubbs drills Howry’s offering towards the corner in left field. I am sitting in left field. Could this be my chance to catch my first home run. No. It ricocheted off the foul pole and instead, I am forever captured on film throwing my hands in the air, scorecard and all, wearing I believe, an Anberlin T-shirt.

My next trip to the baseball diamond would present one of the coolest experiences I’ve been witness too, the farewell of a true legend.