Baseball Journal May 2017 Part 2

5-9-17

The Chihuahuas were having their final game in Nashville versus the Sounds.  Tim Hagerty, in a somewhat tired voice, reported that it was “Bark at the park” day at the ballpark.  Opposing teams apparently often schedule this event for visits by the Chihuahuas.  Tim is understandably tired of the gag.  Their PA was occasionally playing a doorbell sound effect to try to get the dogs in attendance to bark.  As for the game, the pups went ahead, gave it up, but got two runs in the ninth to win 8-6 to continue a modest three-game winning streak.

5-11-17 

WAC Softball Tournament 5-11-17

After watching the WAC Softball Tournament results, I checked in on the Rangers and the A’s.  Mike Napoli hit a three-run homer in the eighth to give the Rangers a 5-2 lead.  Check that.  It was actually the ninth and that was a walk-off win.  I should pay better attention.

Right after, I watched the MLB free game between the White Sox and Twins.  It was the ninth, and not between teams I care about (and no Hawk Harrelson), but why not?  “You’re only 60’ away!  Throw strikes!  You suck!”  Wow, those South Side fans are rough on their own team.  I’m actually guessing it was a guy in a Mets’ jersey sitting in the front row that was doing the jazzing.  Third party gear at a ballpark?  Lame, dude.  I knew so few guys on the White Sox, I may as well have been watching their Triple-A team.  And the game ended with the Twins winning.  Check that.  It was actually the eighth.  I don’t bother watching the rest.  Whoo.  Apparently, it was a long day for me.     

5-12-17

WAC Softball Tournament 5-12-17

I was keeping up with WAC Softball Tournament for most of the day, but got in some baseball.  The MLB free game featured the Royals and the Orioles.  I’m always happy to see the Royals playing in KC.  The main highlight of the game occurred after a Brandon Moss home run into the fountain pool for the Royals.  The camera immediately caught some guy swimming around trying to find the ball in the pool.  He was in there for several minutes before he found it.  It was nice of security to at least get it before he was presumably arrested.  Royals win 3-2.

Watching Gameday, I caught the bottom of the ninth between the Rangers and the A’s.  The Rangers were down a run until Mike Napoli sacrificed in the tying run.  Joey Gallo then ended it on the three-run homer, their second walk-off homer in a row.  Meanwhile in Chicago, Aggie Baseball won 15-3 over Chicago State.  I learn this via the team’s Twitter feed, the only way to follow the guys this weekend.

5-13-17

WAC Softball Tournament 5-13-17

  

5-16-17

I was still watching and listening to baseball for the last three days, but after the Aggies’ dramatic WAC Softball Tournament win, nothing else seemed worth writing about by comparison.  Here was something: an 11-11 tie in the eighth between the Chihuahuas and the Sky Sox.  The pups had made a three-run comeback and a four-run comeback in this game to tie it.  In the top of the ninth, the Sox pitcher, in his first pro at bat, singled in the go-ahead run.  This was followed by a three-run homer.  It was a cold night and a four+ hour nine-inning game.  The crowd justifiably boo’ed the 11-15 loss.

I sort of watched the MLB free game earlier where Yu Darvish fanned nine over seven innings, giving up one run, in a 5-1 Rangers win over the Phillies.  He’s finally getting wins to go with the pitching performances this season.

5-18-17

I caught the end of the Tigers beating the O’s in the MLB free game matinee.  The story for me was that 32,000 showed up for a day game.  Admittedly, it was a really beautiful game there.  The Rangers won their ninth in a row!  They’re finally over .500!

Crap!  I forgot Aggie baseball was on tonight!  (Suddenly, I’m exploding with exclamations!)  Thursday is not a usual game day for them.  It was a back and forth game, and I ended up staying at work late to listen to the end.  Ruger Rodriguez would finish the game with two on and a one run lead for a 9-8 win.  Whew!  That took 20 minutes to play out. 

5-19-17

NCAA Softball Tournament 5-19-17

It was a long night at work, but at least I had plenty of baseball to watch.  The Chihuahuas had a one run lead in the eighth against the Oklahoma City Dodgers, after coming back from five down.  By the end of the inning, they had exploded for nine runs, sending 12 batters to the plate.  Needless to say, they won.  The Rangers won their tenth in a row.  Aggie baseball won 10-4, still in the hunt for a share of the conference championship. 

5-20-17

NM State Aggies vs CSU-Bakersfield Roadrunners Baseball 5-20-17

NCAA Softball Tournament 5-20-17

The Fox game was the Rangers versus the Tigers.  I just got home from the Aggie game in time for it.  Unfortunately, the Rangers didn’t show up in a 9-3 loss that wasn’t even that close.  I ended up watching the playoff hockey.  After an empty-netter made the score 3-1 Nashville up on Anaheim, with 9 seconds left and epic fight broke out between the teams.  Penalties may have been issued for the next game, but for now, there were a few ejections, and the game was allowed to finish.

5-21-17

I had no baseball during the day, so it was a long, boring day writing up yesterday’s Aggie game.  Finally, the Chihuahuas came on in the evening.  The dogs managed to claw their way back into the game and force it into extras, but lost in the tenth, 5-4.  But the highlight was definitely Tim Hagerty talking to a Chico’s Kid’s Club member in the booth.  Whenever he does this, it’s usually very cute, and this time was no exception.  The little girl mentioned she’d got a ball today.  “That’s big news.  Why didn’t you say something before?”  Its obvious Tim loves chatting with the kids.       

5-24-17

The Aggie Baseball Twitter feed posted this picture of two of last years' alumni, Tyler Erwin and Daniel Johnson, meeting on field before their minor league teams played each other.  This picture just makes me happy.  It's everything right with baseball in general.     

5-25-17

WAC Baseball Tournament 5-25-17 

5-26-17

WAC Baseball Tournament 5-26-17

5-27 to 29-17

Memorial Day Weekend

5-31-17

The day before I was listening to a Chihuahua’s day game at work until the Internet connection got shutdown for testing.  Later, when it was back up, I watched the Cardinals and Dodgers.  Unfortunately, the Cards lost in pretty pedestrian way.  I didn’t even bother writing my aunt in Missouri, who was probably watching.

Today, the last day of the month, there was no Chihuahua’s baseball to keep me company for a long night at work.  However, the MLB free game was the Indians and the A’s, which I came in to halfway.  First, I was really pleased to see such a good crowd at the Jake (I’m not using the new name).  Second, there was a striking brunette behind the Indians’ dugout that kept showing up on camera.  I can’t even remember the last time I noticed a hottie in the crowd on a TV ballgame.  Are they not coming out anymore? 

The hosts were trying to get more Indians into the All-Star Game.  Beyond Francisco Lindor, good luck.  Speaking of the soon-to-be All-Star shortstop, he was the only hitter to have any success against A’s starter, Sean Manaea, to the tune of a home run.  The A’s got three runs off of two home runs and that was that.  3-1 A’s.  A Khris Davis error in the outfield on what would have been the final out, only toyed with our emotions.