Baseball Journal July 1-3,2018

7-1-18

I’d been looking forward to hearing today’s Rangers game against the White Sox.  I hadn’t heard Eric Nadel in a week and I missed him.  I missed him here too.  He’d taken the day off.  I like Matt Hicks and Jared Sandler, so it was still okay.  Eric did send in a weather report from where he was visiting.  (My reception wasn’t great, and I don’t get the pregame on my affiliate.)  It was hot there and hot, as you might guess, in Arlington.  Matt thought the players looked kind of lethargic playing.

Cole Hamels was pitching for the Rangers.  The Sox were up 2-0 in the fourth, when Jurickson Profar tripled (okay, a single and two-base error in outfield).  Roughned Odor drove him in.  In the fifth, Delino Deshields drew a bases loaded walk to tie it.  But the White Sox scored five in the fifth to drive Hamels from the game and tacked on another later to make it 8-2.

With the game seemingly out-of-hand, the guys had a chat about National Creative Ice Cream Flavors Day and discussed poor ice cream choices.  The daily limerick was read in the eighth.  (I’m sure Matt Hicks never imagined he’d be pressed into the role of poet once he became a Major League announcer.)  The Rangers did mount a comeback that inning.  Joey Gallo tripled in two runs with some help from some more bad play in the White Sox outfield.  (I think it was ruled a hit all the way this time.)  Isiah Kiner-Falefa brought him in to make it 8-5.

The White Sox scored in the ninth, and a ball hit the runner on a throw in to the infield.  They got another run on a squeeze play to make it 10-5.  There was some question if that was against the unwritten rules, but I’d say it was okay at that point.  The guys started talking soccer.  They hoped the World Cup would bring in more non-fans to the sport.  Why?  10-5 White Sox was the final.  At least Shin-Soo Choo’s 41-game on base streak continued.  In the postgame, the guys blamed the offense, especially in the eighth when they had the opportunity to score more.  When your pitching gives up 10 runs with your ace on the mound, I’d say that was your problem.

Later in the evening, the Chihuahuas were one game out of first in their division before tonight’s game against the Isotopes.  The pups went down 2-0 early from an Isotopes’ home run.  In the third, the Chihuahuas loaded the bases.  Allen Craig came up and hit a DP ball to Josh Fuentes at third.  The ball was dropped.  Nobody was out and a run scored.  Brett Nicholas then hit a grounder that deflected off an infielder’s mitt.  Two more runs scored.  Another grounder scored a run.  Given a second chance, Fuentes did turn a double play to end the inning, but now the pups were up 4-2.

In the booth, Tim Hagerty talked to another Kid’s Club member and a military member, who was the Manager for a Day.  The Isotopes homered in the eighth, but Dusty Coleman answered in the bottom to make it 5-3.  Scary moment in the fifth as two Chihuahuas outfielders collided.  This resulted in a triple, but the runner didn’t score.  In the sixth, Jordan Patterson hit his one-hundredth professional home run for the ‘topes to make it 5-4.  Tim told the fans afterward that the Isotopes would like the ball back and would trade for it.  I’m not sure if the ball got back to them or not.

We got another baseball rules lesson in the bottom of the sixth.  A batted ball hit the Chihuahuas’ on field bullpen mound and dislodged another ball there.  The Isotopes thought it was still a live ball and threw out the runner and started running off the field.  However, the ump immediately ruled it a dead ball and a ground rule double.  A run scored and the inning continued, 6-4 Chihuahuas.  In the ninth, the Isotopes got their first two batters on, but failed to score.  Chihuahuas won 6-4 in a good, tense game.

7-2-18

Just one game for me today, but it was a good one.  It was the Chihuahuas and the Isotopes.  To follow up from yesterday, Tim Hagerty mentioned that Isotope Jordan Patterson got his home run ball back.  He offered a signed ball and bat to the family.  A five-year old was in possession of the ball and the decision was left up to him.  Patterson was reportedly very nice and happy to talk to some fans.

The Isotopes took an early one-run lead.  In the second, Forrestt Allday unexpectedly stole a pair of bases.  I think Tim said these were his second and third steals of the year.  In the third, Raffy Lopez, catching, picked a runner off first.  In the third, the pups got on the board as Allen Craig doubled in two runs for a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth, Chihuahuas’ pitcher Chris Huffman attempted to bunt over a couple of runners on base.  The Isotopes misplayed it and a run scored.  It was that kind of night for El Paso.  Raffy Lopez again in the fifth threw out a runner trying to take third.  The Chihuahuas went up definitely in the bottom on a three-run homer by Diego Goris.  (Admittedly I missed it.  I was watching highlights on Twitch of Amourettie doing a 24-hour stream over the weekend.  She looked so cute at the beginning where she wasn’t wearing any makeup.  By the end, she was “I am never doing this again,” and was hating video games altogether.)

The Chihuahuas won 6-1 and ended the game on a double play.  They might be in first place alone, depending on how Las Vegas and Salt Lake’s game turned out.  Overall, the team looked and played really sharp today, offensively and defensively.  We hope they can keep that up.  The crowd there at Southwest University Park sounded big and enthusiastic.  Allday seemed to have his own cheering section for his at bats.  They also piped up at other times, though I couldn’t make out what they were saying. 

7-3-18

Yes, the MLB.TV free game was a Rangers’ game and playing the Astros no less.  No video.  Guys, you’re not selling the service to me if I can’t watch Ranger games, which are not on here anywhere locally.  They used to show the video for Ranger games, but not anymore.  The good news is that they’re still doing the audio.  Ah, finally, the warm, friendly tones of Eric Nadel calling the game.  And then I had to leave my desk to do work at another desk where I can’t get the website.  I put the game on pause and hoped I'd be able to catch up later.

At the other desk, I couldn’t get the Chihuahuas’ game.  It’s been problematical lately for some reason.  But, I wasn't going to be shutout.  It's time for Flying Squirrel baseball!  When I tuned in, it was dramatic, but it was also the bottom of the tenth and the end of the game.  The Harrisburg Senators would sacrifice in the winning run.  The large crowd there erupted.  Well, next up for the Flying Squirrels is the Akron . . . wait for it . . . Rubber Ducks.  I knew that team name already.  On the bonus side, I don't think these names can get more ridiculous.  (I'm including the “Senators” as another poor name choice there.)  

Back at my desk, I started listening to the Chihuahuas and the Isotopes.  Before the game, I'd heard it was standing room only at the stadium.  They were expecting a huge crowd for the fireworks.  Jon Gray was pitching for the 'topes and started off strong.  I missed a few minutes working in another room and came back to the Isotopes suddenly being four runs ahead.  Later, it was 6-0 in the fifth.  The Chihuahuas had had one baserunner to that point.  I came to the conclusion I'd made the wrong listening choice and switched to the Rangers.

It was 2-0 Astros early.  Eric Nadel mentioned he had been listening to the Sunday's game while he was traveling.  Ranger starter Austin Bibens-Dierkx gave up a two-run homer in the third to make it 5-0.  There was way too much cheering there in Arlington for the Astros.  Unfortunately, the audio stopped.  I think I'd hit the limit of the pausing and had to refresh the page.  I picked up the game again live in the eighth.  It was now 5-3.  The Rangers had two on with Joey Gallo up.  He worked a walk in a 12-pitch at bat.  But that was it, as Robinson Chirinos struck out with the bases loaded.  5-3 Astros was the final.  Eric was pretty disappointed.  He thought this was a very winnable game.  There were 40,000 people there for the game and fireworks. 

Though there was some audio issues with both games, I kept up with the Chihuahuas.  In the sixth, Forrestt Allday finally got the pups on the board with a two-run homer.  Gray finished his outing going six innings, giving up two runs, two hits, with six strikeouts, and no walks.  By the ninth, Brad Wieck was unable to contain the Isotopes and was taken out after giving up four runs.  Diego Goris, position player, finished the inning.  He got the final two outs, thanks to some good defense, and remains un-scored upon in his five appearances. 

11-5 Isotopes was the final.  The El Paso crowd actually cheered the team as they scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth.  It wasn't even sarcastic or cheering to get on with the fireworks.  Okay, I'm not sure if I'm going to get much baseball tomorrow, but at least I'll get the day off.