9-6-16
I was watching the MLB Free game with the Tigers vs White Sox at work, neither myself, nor the Tigers, really showed up for that game (2-0 White Sox). Checking the scoreboard, I saw the Rangers and Mariners were at 4 all in the 5th. The next time score I got was when I arrived home and flipped on the radio. It was bad reception, but in the 7th, it was 8-4 Rangers as Elvis Andrus just hit a solo home run. Matt Hicks was very impressed with the shot as it flew into the second deck. Elvis made a slow trot around the bases, as he’d hit it off of a pitcher who’d drilled him last week.
In the bottom of the 7th, the M’s loaded the bases. Eric Nadel was uncharacteristically chomping at the bit to be calling the inning, as he chipped in on every pitch. (Matt calls the 3rd, 4th, and 7th. You can just about tell the inning by who’s calling it. This is what happens when you have two great play-by-play guys without a color guy.) Ranger relief pitching couldn’t find the strike zone in a terrifying display of ineffectiveness. Amazingly, they only give up two runs. Thankfully, the Mariner relievers weren’t much better. The next inning, Elvis doubled in Rougie for his third double of the day, along with his home run. Sam Dyson restored order in the 9th with a drama-free finish. 10-7 Rangers.
9-7-16
Umm . . . Erm . . . Well, this is a bit embarrassing. Here was likely the most exciting, dramatic El Paso Chihuahuas game to date, and I don’t have a recap. I was having trouble with the Internet connection at work and kept losing the game. I sort of gave up after about a half hour. The Rangers were playing the Mariners on the ESPN late game, so I thought I’d enjoy that instead. One inning later, it’s 5-0 M’s. AJ Griffin’s weakness to left-handed hitting was completely exposed by a line up composed almost entirely of left-handed hitters. (The worse of it was, I’d walked out of the room right before Adam Lind’s grand slam. You may as well see the damage being done.) Work kept me from watching more of the game other than strolling in to get scoring updates. (It didn’t get any better for the Rangers. 8-3 Mariners.)
I tried it again with the Chihuahuas’ game and got it this time. By this point, it was late in the game and the dogs were losing. I mentally gave up on writing anything and didn’t take any notes. That was a mistake, because Chihuahuas did not give up. They’d gone down by three early to the Rainiers. While Tacoma tacked on a couple more runs, the Chihuahuas chipped away for the rest of the game. This lead to a 9th inning where, instead of a double play ending the game, a hard, but legal, slide by Hunter Renfroe, resulted in an error and the tying run scoring, five all.
From here the game went into extras. The crowd was a diminished one because of earlier heavy rain and a forecast for more, not to mention it was a school night. But, they were enthusiastic and got more than their money’s worth. Announcer Tim Hagerty actually had to excuse himself at one point to get a drink. His impassioned call of the 9th had left him a little hoarse. Finally in the 12th, the Rainiers pushed a run across. At that point, I ended up leaving for home. It was late, and I’d had a hard day at work, and I wanted to go home. I was willing to stay to hear a win, but not a loss. At home, I caught the post-game, 6-5 Tacoma, and the end of the Rangers’ game. Ugh. I’m not sure whether to berate myself for not persevering and taking notes, or questioning why I’m doing this at all. I may have been enjoying the game more just listening.
9-8-16
The MLB.tv free game featured the Indians and the Astros. An hour rain delay allowed me some extra listening time. Not viewing time, unfortunately, again the game was blacked out in my area, even though I don’t know where I’d get an Astros game anywhere other than online. That was okay though. I never caught the Indians’ announcers’ name, but I liked his theatrics. He was calling a good, even game, but he’d punctuate those strike outs and hits with a relish. There was a dramatic inflection on those decisive plays that was great to listen to. The Indians won 10-7. My pre-season Astros pick is rapidly fading, but I did call the Indians “the chosen ones” (or “team of destiny,” whatever) around mid-season. They’re starting to sell me on the possibility. They’ve got four good starting pitchers. That’s plenty for the playoffs.
This time I was at least trying to take notes on game two of the PCL playoffs with the Chihuahuas and the Rainiers. Tonight, these guys looked like the Chihuahuas from earlier in the season. They were relentless in scoring and punished the opposing team’s errors. Especially those errors. In the 5th, a run scored off a bad pickoff throw by the Rainiers’ catcher, and in the 6th, Jose Rondon scored on a wild pitch. On the defensive side, Walter Locket went 6 1/3 dominant innings, only giving up one run. Chihuahuas walk over Tacoma, 7-1.
However, it was again a disappointing crowd, about half capacity. Weather wasn’t an issue. It was again a school night, but I’m not sure how much of a problem that is, since there was an earlier start time. There have even been rally towel giveaways the last two nights. Tim Hagerty gave a shoutout to Rainier fans getting the MiLB feed, mentioning a Tacoma sports bar by name that had the game on. (I’m thinking they also had the NFL’s season premiere game on too.) His favorite play of the game was in the 8th, with a bare hand fielding by the first baseman, feeding the pitcher covering first, who also made the catch barehanded. On to Tacoma.
9-9-16
I only got to hear a little of the game Friday, owing to KROD’s high school football coverage online, but I was delighted by the result, 7-0 El Paso Chihuahuas over the Tacoma Rainiers. They didn’t have a very big crowd there either, but they were loud and into it, even in a lopsided, late, losing score. My Rangers’ radio station is usually doing high school football too. I heard a tantalizing snippet of Matt Hicks speaking, but I could never get the station to come in. The last update I’d seen of the game was zero all in the 6th. Sunday morning I get the score in the paper of 2-1 Rangers. Yeah, that’s some Old School news gathering.
9-10-16
Fox unexpectedly broadcast a Saturday morning game. Even better, it was a good matchup between the Astros and the Cubs. Not unexpectedly, it was a full house in Houston. Of course half the crowd was the rooting the visitors, but somebody paid for all those seats. Evan Gattis and Carlos Correa were out today for the Astros and I’m disappointed not to see them. While the announcers were talking about Astros’ phenom call up Alex Bregman in the 3rd, he hit a home run on cue. 1-0 Astros and an Astros’ fan with a mitt made a great catch in the stands to rob a Cubs fan. Later, Jose Altuve, in a small hitting slump, bunts his way on and is brought home from 3rd with a squeeze play, right out of Cubs manager, Joe Maddon’s, playbook.
The Cubs would score a run to make it 2-1 Astros. In the 7th, the Cubs make the defensive play of the game with Javier Baez receiving a cut off throw and throwing to catcher, Willson Contreras, who tags a diving George Springer’s foot at the plate. In the 9th, the Cubs’ tying run is left at third and the Astros win 2-1. What was up with those bizarre Hyundai commercials during the game? People choosing other companies’ cars were threatened with a deathtrap? What the hell?
I tried to get scoring updates on the Chihuahuas’ game after the NMSU football game. The Chihuahuas were down, then they were up by a run late. By the time I get home and get the game tuned in, it is literally the bottom of the 9th with two outs. The first batter I hear is hit by a pitch. The tying run is on. Next batter, there’s a batted ball that hits the pitcher. He picks it up and throws the batter out at first. Tim Hagerty is barely able to hold back his emotions calling this last out. The Chihuahuas win 5-4 and will be playing in the PCL championship. Tim was so happy he didn’t seem to want the post-game show to end. He pronounced Sal Montes’ jinx over. I was happy he’d reported that the Rangers had beaten the Angels again. The next two games will be in El Paso next week. I can hardly wait.
9-12-16
I saw that the Rangers and Astros were in extras on Gameday, but decided to leave work rather than stay for the end. Once home, I flipped on the radio and got the post-game. The Rangers won 4-3 in 12. Rougie hit the game-winning homer. Jake Diekman rediscovered the strikezone and got the save.
I flipped over to the Rockies game. My last update was 6-3 Diamondbacks in the 5th. When I start listening, the Rockies are up 9-6. Unfortunately just after that, the D-Backs load the bases and Yasmani Tomas hits a grand slam. It all happened on five straight hits in a row with two outs. It is a depressing 12-9 loss for the Rockies.
9-13-16
We start the PCL championship series in El Paso with the Chihuahuas versus the OKC Dodgers. I finally found out who their opponent is. They’re the guys who swept the dogs in four games earlier this year in Oklahoma City. At the start of the game, the Chihuahuas players carry out a banner, which says, “Thank you El Paso.” That’s a nice touch.
Walter Locket gets off to a shaky start for the Chihuahuas, yielding four runs off three doubles, a walk, and a hit batsman. After giving up another run in the 2nd, it’s 5-0 Dodgers. In the 3rd, the pups have two on and Locket comes up to bat. A strange defensive alignment is called with one of the outfielders coming into the infield. It doesn’t help, as the pitcher hits against the shift and drives in a run. With the bases loaded, Carlos Asuaje clears them with a double. 5-4 Dodgers.
A little interlude here, I notice the Rangers/Astros game is in the 9th, so I put up Gameday. I like the tracker, but really it’s too nerve-wracking to watch for very long. The Astros are up 2-1. Roughned Odor strikes out on a wild pitch, but takes first. Elvis Andrus triples him in with two outs to tie it. Jurickson Profar then singles in Elvis for the go-ahead run. Tanner Scheppers comes out to close. 3-2 Rangers.
Back in El Paso in the 5th, Manuel Margot hits a triple, but is tagged out at the plate on a contact play with the next batter. Manager Rod Barajas takes the blame for that one. In the 7th, Nick Torres hits a double, but is eliminated afterward on a baserunning error. Margot gets on and takes second, but a fly out ends the inning.
In the 8th, an error puts two runners on and Diego Goris singles home the tying run. The crowd serenades the departing Dodgers pitcher. With the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly to swallow center by Nick Noonan brings in a speedy Patrick Kivlehan to give the Chihuahuas the lead. Tim Hagerty is shouting out the play-by-play here. Goris then scores on a wild pitch. The dogs do it. 7-5 is the final. Tim credits the large crowd for helping in the victory. They were making enough noise to disrupt the opposing pitchers. Ultimately, the OKC Dodgers were done in by three unearned runs in the game.
Back at home for me, its 11-4 in 6th between the Rockies and the D-Backs. That’s also the final. Those last three innings were about a depressing as you’d think.
9-14-16
A bit out of order, as this was actually the last game I listened to last night, but to follow up on that last statement, the Rockies lost again to the Diamondbacks 11-6. That’s a sweep to a really bad team, giving up double digit runs in all three. Ugh. This is more depressing than the drive into El Paso to see the Chihuahuas on Labor Day, specifically seeing the local TV news billboards still advertising the departed (and dearly missed) Breana Pitts on their nightly broadcasts.
And the Astros finally beat the Rangers, 8-4. They’d gotten out to a good lead, but the Rangers started chipping away at it before the Astros pulled away late. Derek Holland and Tanner Scheppers didn’t have good games. I hope that violently drunk guy from last night, who was taken away in cuffs screaming obscenities at the Rangers, feels better now.
When I got to work I was able to listen to Jon Miller calling the Giants versus the Padres. Once again, MLB.tv is blocking the video, citing broadcasting conflicts. Yahoo was less discriminating and showed the TV feed, but I really wanted to hear Miller’s pleasant, avuncular voice, so I stuck with just the audio. Regardless, the Giants lost 3-1 with Bumgarner starting. That’s also a sweep by a lousy team.
My co-worker, Mike, was listening, “Boy, Michael Savage sounds really mellow today, and I didn’t think he liked baseball.” Yes, that’s the same Mike who thinks Bob Uecker has passed away, even while listening to him call a game live. Mike was really impressed with Miller though. When the Giants changed pitchers, he effortlessly segued into an ad for changing your vehicle’s oil. Of course, he had to do this a couple more times during the inning, because of Bochy/September call ups, somewhat diminishing the effect, but Mike really respects a good product placement plug.
Okay, on to the important game of the day, the El Paso Chihuahuas versus the Oklahoma City Dodgers for the PCL championship. In the 1st, Manuel Margot led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch. Austin Hedges would later drive in Carlos Asuaje to give the dogs a 2-0 lead right off the bat. In the 2nd, with the bases loaded with Dodgers, Frank Graces got two strikeouts to end the inning without a run. The Dodgers would score a run in the 3rd, 2-1 Chihuahuas at this point.
Then it turned into a Hilary Clinton public appearance. The entire defense had a seizure in the 4th. Two errors on the same play allowed two runners on. A third error scored a run. Finally, on a fourth error, a runner attempted to take home and was thrown out, ironically it was part of a double play that ended the inning. Amazingly, after four errors in one inning, the pups only give up one run to tie the score. They must be living right.
In the 5th, the tie is broken by an Asuaje home run. In the 6th, Margot hits his second triple and Hedges hits a home run. Our score is now suddenly 9-2. Did the Chihuahuas take the 4th inning off? Did they put a bunch of guys from the stands in uniforms and put them out on the field? In the 7th, the impostors were back out on the field and a Dodger run scored after an error, 9-3 Chihuahuas.
Thankfully, the real Chihuahuas took the field for the rest of the game. In the 8th, OKC loaded the bases, but another double play ended the inning. In the 9th, the game ends on a DP. How inappropriate. Our final is 10-4 Chihuahuas, up two in this best of five series.
It was the last game of the year at Southwest University Park. The players saluted the fans coming off the field. It was a great crowd tonight cheering them on. Respecting the streak, the Chihuahuas’ staff was told to wear the same shirt as the night before. Much like the game, it might have been a bit smelly and messy, but it worked for a win. Onto OKC, where I will not be able to hear Friday night’s game due to KROD carrying high school football. I’ll make the supreme sacrifice and still root for the Chihuahuas to win, rather than lose so that I can hear them on Saturday.
Hey! I just checked the schedules. None of my baseball teams are playing Thursday. What am I going to do?
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